Devotions Archive

Finding Strength in the Fire Swamps

Today’s Truth
“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.” (Isaiah 40:30-31, NIV)

Friend to Friend
There’s a scene in the whimsical and quirky film The Princess Bride in which some bad guys were chasing the movie’s two main characters, Princess Buttercup and Wesley. In order to escape, Buttercup and Wesley ran into the treacherous Fire Swamp. (Insert scary music and creepy feelings here.) The Fire Swamp has three challenges: fire spurts, quicksand, and the ROUS – rodents of unusual size. (Stay with me…) …

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The King and His Maiden

Today’s Truth
“But made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant,” (Philippians 2:7 NIV).

Friend to Friend
Soren Kierkegaard crafted a parable titled, “The King and His Maiden” to demonstrate the lengths God took to win our hearts. It goes something like this:

Suppose there was a king who loved a humble maiden. The king was like no other king. Every statesman trembled before his power. No one dared breathe a word against him, for he had the strength to crush all opponents.

And yet this mighty king was melted by love for a humble maiden who lived …

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Oh no! She’s Awake!

Today’s Truth 
2 Corinthians 12:9 “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.’ “ (NIV)

Friend to Friend
For many years, I did everything I possibly could to hide or erase any weakness in my life. When that didn’t work, I simply pretended that those weak areas didn’t exist. Why? Because if I was weak, how could Jesus love me? How could anyone love me? How could I love …

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God’s Relentless Romance

Today’s Truth
“The whole earth is full of his glory,” (Isaiah 6:3 NIV).

Friend to Friend
Steve and I were driving home from dinner when I posed a question about romance.

“Steve, I heard someone once say that a woman defines romance as the feeling of being continually pursued. What do you think about that?”

“I don’t think that is very realistic, or practical,” he replied. “A man can’t continually pursue a woman. Why should he? A man pursues a woman, but at some point, she has to make a decision to marry him or not. To let herself be …

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Learning to Abide

Today’s Truth
John 15:4-5 (NASB) “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Friend to Friend
It’s that time of year again. Schools are recruiting parents to help with classroom duties, sports teams are looking for team moms, your church is asking for help … and the list seems …

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Be Still

Today’s Truth
“Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10a).

Friend to Friend
There was a crisp chill slipping through the window as I headed to the couch to get with God before rushing into my day. I filled up my coffee mug, lit a cinnamon bun scented jar candle and nestled into my corner spot. Before I could get comfortable, however, I realized that the combination of the morning breeze and the ceiling fan were a bit much for my shorts-clad legs. I jumped up from the couch and turned the ceiling fan off … for possibly …

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I Want To Be Pursued

Today’s Truth

“Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he us in mind, and had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love,” (Ephesians 1:4 MSG).

Friend to Friend

I was in college when I first eyed my husband. He was sitting on the floor at a friend’s Bible study gathering with his back against the wall, dressed in scruffy jeans and a red flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled halfway up his muscular forearms. His thick brown hair and chocolate-brown eyes left me weak in the knees. And the …

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Do You Know How to Sit Down? Part 2

Today’s Truth
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NIV) “Now choose life…listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him.”

Friend to Friend
We not only must stop and be still in order to sit at the feet of Jesus we must learn to listen for His voice. Time spent seeking God and listening for His voice is vital to our spiritual growth. Countless voices clamor for our attention. The key to a balanced life is training our hearts toward God and teaching our spiritual ears to listen for His voice above all others.

I taught third grade for several years while my husband …

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A Sudden Glory When God Makes Himself Known

Today’s Truth

“Blessed are your eyes because they see,” Jesus said, “and your ears because they hear,” (Matthew 13:16 NIV).

Friend to Friend

Can you remember a time when you sensed God’s presence and you were absolutely sure it was Him? Perhaps it was when you first believed, or maybe it happened just yesterday. You may have felt an overwhelming sense of His love, received an answer to prayer, felt an inexplicable peace, or witnessed a miracle. But when it happened…oh, when it happened…you knew you had encountered the divine. The moment came and went, and you were awestruck. Do …

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Do You Know How To Sit Down?

Today’s Truth

Psalm 5:3 (NLT) “Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.”

Friend to Friend

I had a list of things to get done. Yes, my back was killing me and I was tired, but that list kept me hurrying around the house like the proverbial Energizer Bunny. When my husband walked in from work, I gave him a quick hug and resumed my almost frantic pace. “What are you doing, honey?” Dan asked. With one of my famous sighs, I responded, “I just need to get a …

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