Remember

"Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope."
Psalm 119:49 (NIV)

Devotion:
I recall the moments of despair. I couldn't see my way out. Three small children were depending on me and that thought was overwhelming. I would cry in the middle of my mobile home floor, feeling desperately lonely. I wondered if I would have food to feed them or a way to keep them warm.

Child support was $142 a month, but I rarely received it. I worked a full time job, took in laundry, and worked as a waitress during holidays. When all three kids would get sick at the same time, my life felt like a nightmare. The thought of driving off a cliff entered my mind more than once, but I couldn't bear to think what that would do to my kids for the rest of their lives.

I wanted someone (I would have settled for ANYONE at times) to just even pretend to care about me. Would rescue ever come?

Then one day I made the decision to look for the good. My baby went to the potty (hey, that was a big deal). My oldest waved from the school bus. My son poured on a heart-melting smile. Choosing to laugh more than cry and finding the fun in each day was often like seeking buried treasure. But most days the good was there; it just wasn't as noticeable as the bad. Focusing on those moments felt like breath in my lungs.

My theme song was Carole King's "Beautiful" that says, "You've got to get up every morning with a smile on your face." Gray had dominated my days for far too long, the sun needed to shine in my life again.

I remember purposely watching other moms who had happy kids to see what they were doing right. And those who seemed to have peace, even in the middle of their meltdowns particularly intrigued me. What did they have that my 'pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps' mentality wasn't fulfilling?

Jesus. They simply had found the Prince of Peace who sends the Counselor into your heart when you accept Him. Watching those examples made me hunger for that relationship in my own life.

Now, as I look back, I see the string of choices, the dots that all connected. They all brought me to this very day. This day when I am sitting at my breakfast table, peering at the stars glistening in the sky, writing this note to you, my friend. The note says, "You can do this. We can't possibly see the road ahead or try to understand where it is going, but I guarantee you the Creator of the universe is connecting your dots."

Dear Lord, I need your help to make it through today. I need to notice the good. Don't let me forget You've brought me through every struggle I've ever faced. Remind me to share that good news with others who need to hear it. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Application Steps:
Reach out to a single mom who needs a break. Offer her help.

Reflections:
What memories allow me to see God's divine hand in my life?

How do I share that hope with others?

Who may be watching me, hoping to find lasting Hope?

Power Verses:
Deuteronomy 31:8, "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (NIV)

Genesis 21:16a-17, 19, "And as she sat there nearby, she began to sob. God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, 'What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water." (NIV)


© 2010 by Luann Prater. All rights reserved.

Instead of Shame

"Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs." Isaiah 61:7 (NIV)

Devotion:
I turned and walked away from God in anger and disappointment. I tossed away the calling of ministry on my life. The Lord had hurt my feelings, so I left my faith to find a fresh path.

This happened during my twenties. With two toddlers climbing up my legs during the day and crying intermittently during the night, I was physically exhausted. Emotional turmoil began to disintegrate my marriage. My immature faith lacked the stamina to hold to God tightly. So, for seven years I wandered through sin, divorce, and miserable meanderings of my own making. It was a time of spiritual drought—the years of shame.

Although I walked away from God, He did not walk away from me. The Lord allowed me to experience life in the wilderness of doubt, but He was right there watching over me and waiting for me to return to the call of ministry placed on my life at age eighteen.

Eventually, I allowed myself to feel His presence in my life. Little by little, the Lord Jesus wooed me back to Himself. I remember the exact time and place that I felt Him whisper to my spirit, "Let's start over and do it right this time." I wept with relief and joy. I began to study the Bible and allowed it to change my damaged spiritual heart. This time it wasn't going to be head knowledge, but heart knowledge.

My faith was back on track, but I did not think my calling to ministry could ever be restored. Hadn't I traveled too far off the godly path? Surely, God didn't want me anymore in service to His Kingdom. Surely, He had more qualified daughters that could minister to others without the shame of a sullied past such as mine.

However, that is not how God thinks at all. The Bible says, "For God's gifts and his call are irrevocable (Romans 11:29, NIV). The Lord desires for us to move beyond the shame of past mistakes and into His calling for our lives. He will restore us to useful service in the Kingdom. It takes time and it is a process, but the Almighty God still has a plan for each of our lives. He intends to replace disgrace with rejoicing, so that we may show our world that we are living miracles.

Do I hear an "Amen"?


Dear Lord, thank You for having mercy on me. Display Your will for my life. Enable me to fulfill the gifts and call in my life, so that others will understand Your grace and mighty power. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Reflections:
Do I feel I have lost my chance to use my spiritual gifts?

How can I begin to use my spiritual gifts to display God's mercy in my life?

Power Verses:
Joel 2:26, "You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed." (NIV)
Psalm 36:5, "Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies." (NIV)

Romans 11:29-30, "For God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience." (NIV)


© 2010 by Susanne Scheppmann. All rights reserved.

What do you have?

'"How many loaves do you have?' he asked. 'Go and see.' When they found out, they said, 'Five—and two fish.'" Mark 6:38 (NIV)

Devotion:
I glanced at the clock on the bottom of my computer. It was 6:47 pm and the email had been sent hours earlier. I kicked myself for not checking my email that afternoon and regretted not being able to respond to my friend's plea for prayer as she prepared to share her testimony in a small group at her church. I scanned through her email again and saw that the time she was supposed to begin was at 6:30. Feeling a little foolish, I typed a quick email:

"Dear Karen," I wrote, "It is 6:47 and I am praying your testimony will be effective in the hearts of those who listen." I had no idea why I included the time, it just felt like the right thing to do. I guess because I wanted her to know I did what I could as soon as I could. The next morning, I woke up to this email:

"NO WAY!!!!!!!!!! I was told to arrive at 6:30 and we'd start once the ladies got their kids settled. The leader had me start.....AT 6:47!!!!"

There are too many times that I have been in a situation like that and done nothing because I couldn't do it "right." I beat myself up with thoughts like: A better friend would have prayed as soon as the email came out. A more organized person would have checked her email earlier. How often do we feel like we fall short of what we could be doing as Christians? We wish we could give more, pray harder, speak up more, offer more time. And in the end, because we can't do as much as we want, we throw up our hands and do nothing. Because we can't do it all, we don't do anything at all.

As I read my friend's response, I was glad I did something, taking the little I had to offer and giving it anyway. I was too late by my timing, but not by God's. I had missed the opportunity to pray for my friend before but God miraculously had me open the email at the moment she was beginning and pray then.

In Mark 6:35-44, Jesus performs the miracle of feeding the 5000 men. The disciples told Him that they didn't have enough to feed the crowd. They were ready to give up. I love the question that He asks them in our verse today: "Well, what do you have? Go and see." When they turned over what they did have to Him, He was able to multiply it beyond what they could have imagined.

So many times I come to Him and say the same: "I just have this little tiny bit...of money, of time, of resources, of energy."

And He says, "Bring what you have to me. That's all I ask. Let me take care of it from here."

So I ask what little you might have to give? You might not be able to give $1000. But you could give $10. You might not be able to pledge hours and hours to serve at church. But you can serve once a month for one hour. You might not feel comfortable speaking to crowds. But you're great at sharing what God's doing in your life one-on-one. You might not be able to lead a prayer ministry. But you can pray for a friend who needs it, even if it seems like you're too late.

Let God take your little and make it much. Let Him take your 6:47 and make it right on time.

Dear Lord, show me how I can respond when I feel like I don't have enough. Help me to offer my little in Your name and watch You respond in multiples. Open my eyes to the times I need to offer what I can and let that be enough, trusting You with the rest. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Application Steps:
Jesus is asking you: What do you have? Go and see. Spend time today seeing what you have.

Reflections:
What are the things that keep you from saying yes? Fear? Inadequacy? Insecurity? How can doing something little help you overcome these things?

Power Verses:
2 Kings 4:43, "'How can I set this before a hundred men?' his servant asked. But Elisha answered, 'Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: 'They will eat and have some left over.'" (NIV)

2 Kings 4:44, "Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord." (NIV)


© 2010 by Marybeth Whalen. All rights reserved.

The Dailyness

"Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway." Proverbs 8:34 (NIV)

Devotion:
Life wouldn't be so hard if it wasn't so daily. As I sit here surrounded by laundry and dishes piled high in the sink, I see more than ever how life wears us down one day at a time.

Crumbs litter the floor and dirty smudges cover the windows. And I have yet to discover where that smell is coming from. For this mother of four, a simple trip to the grocery store requires an act of God and Congress - attempted only when we are down to powdered milk and Ramen noodles. Not thirty minutes ago a little one-year-old boy clung to my legs, belting out that scream - you know the one, bats can hear it. And I felt my coping skills slipping away. Not because he was crying but because he cries every day.
The daily-ness.

The job of motherhood feels so vast, and frightening, and unending. I am called to raise these children in the fear and admonition of the Lord and yet there are days that I can't seem to get out of my pajamas much less lead them in a time of prayer. I think anyone could endure the temper tantrums of a small child or the rebellion of a teenager or the constant needs of another if they lasted just one day. But the truth is that these things are the stuff of daily life. And when I am honest with myself, they grind down the rough edges of this woman. Because parenting can not be all about me when diapers must be changed, noses wiped and beds made.
In those moments I force myself to take a deep breath and thank God for this season of life. These children. The privilege of wiping noses and bottoms and countertops. A privilege many women would love to have, but don't. I remind myself that the days are long but the years are short. And one day I will look in the rear-view mirror and see empty seats. The cup that is overflowing right now will slowly drain. The stretch marks will fade. And I will find that a new set of daily struggles has overtaken me. When that day comes I will find the strength to face them as well because God gives the grace, daily.
The daily-ness.
As C.S. Lewis once said, "The thing is to rely on God... Meanwhile, the trouble is that relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing has yet been done."

Your daily-ness is probably different than mine, but it is nonetheless God-ordained. It is exactly what we need to live dependent on His grace instead of our own strength. The One who knows us best, who knit us together in our mother's womb, has allotted these days that are equal parts trial and triumph. And He knows that we will see Him most clearly from a place of dependence.
So today I embrace the normal things. The daily things. Another round of laundry. The ring in my toilet. The dust on my dresser so thick a child could write his name. But even more than that I want to celebrate the important things. A child slowly learning to read. A husband that finds his comfort in my arms. A baby who learns to walk and talk. Because all these are the things of life: some mundane and some holy. And all of them must be received daily.

Dear Lord, sometimes daily life is just hard. And we're tired. And overwhelmed. But You promised to be our strength and our hope and our comfort. So today we look to You for what we need. Would You meet us in this, our daily-ness, and help us receive Your grace? In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Application Steps:
Pray that God will help you embrace your daily-ness, whether it be young children, a physical ailment, or financial difficulties.

Make an effort to honor God with an attitude of trust during this season of life.

Reflections:
How can trusting God with my daily struggles point others to Him?

How would my life be different if I started each day thanking God for this season and the struggles it contains?

Power Verses:
Matthew 6:11, "Give us today our daily bread." (NIV)

Luke 9:23, "Then He said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" (NIV)

Titus 3:14, "Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessitates and not live unproductive lives." (NIV)


© 2010 by Ariel Allison Lawhon. All rights reserved.

Sweating in Church

"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like the pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." Matthew 6:7-8 (NIV)

Devotion:

Recently, I was studying what causes people to feel spiritually frustrated. The two top reasons? Bible study and prayer. I get it. I can clearly remember sitting in church sweating because everyone else knew instantly how to get to every passage in the Bible the preacher man referenced. But not me. I was more interested in counting the preacher man's spit droplets than any of the fiery words he was spewing out.

Others seemed all wrapped up and excited in what this preacher man had to say. They'd shout loud, "Un-hunh's" and "Amens!" What was I missing?

And then there was my prayer life. Or the lack there-of. It's not that I didn't want to pray but the whole concept of talking to God felt weird. I tried to copy the prayers of those who seemed like they knew they were doing more than talking to the air.

But then my quirky self would sneak in and leave me feeling foolish for what I'd just said to the God of the Universe. "Dear Lord, take this food to the nourishment of my body. (Good so far.) And if you could change the molecular structure of these cheesy fries to be like carrot sticks that sure would be bomb-diggity." (Hunh?)

Like the saying goes, "We've come a long way baby." Except that I'm pretty sure you could still trip me up in finding certain passages in the Bible. And I'm pretty sure you might still hear me say bomb-diggity in my prayers. But according to what Jesus taught in Matthew 6:7, I think He's okay with that.

"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like the pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

For me, sincerity and simplicity are two keys to unlocking spiritual frustration with both my Bible study and my prayers. Why do we make it all so complicated? In Colossians 4:2 we are instructed to, "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful" (NIV). I am challenged by these words today. Do I get up from reading my Bible and praying and start intentionally watching for God? Do I sense His activity and remember to be thankful? Watchful and thankful are great words to ponder when I start trying to overcomplicate my time with Jesus.

I think a few honest moments spent with God reading His Word, sharing our heart, and listening for His instruction are quite perfect. I might even say they are bomb-diggity.

Dear Lord, I want to connect with You through my prayers and my Bible reading. Help me to be watchful and sense Your activity in my life. Help me to connect the verses I read and the prayers I pray to circumstances You bring my way each day. Thank You for loving me even when I'm sweating in church. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Application Steps:
Read Colossians 1 and see what words stir your heart today. Write them on a 3x5 index card. As you go through your day be watchful and look to see why God drew your attention to these words. Then thank Him for His presence and His provision.

Reflections:
Do you find it interesting that Jesus told us not to babble in our prayers? Have you ever felt spiritually frustrated in your Bible reading and prayer life? How might simplicity and sincerity help with this?

Power Verses:
Colossians 4:2, "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." (NIV)

Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (NIV)


© 2010 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

Extending Grace

"'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 22:37-39 (NASB)

Devotion:
Over the past three years, I have looked time and again at a small picture of my mother and grandmother together before they were estranged. I dreamed of having my mother and grandmother sitting with me and talking over a cup of coffee while I worked on a novel about the complexities of mother-daughter relationships. Both women were strong Christians who served in their churches. Each of them had a heart for others. And yet, conflicting loyalties dug a chasm between them in their later years.

What caused the estrangement? Quite simply, Dad wanted to retire to Oregon where he and Mom would have a better and more affordable retirement. This meant selling their California property, and the cottage in which Grandma lived. Mom had promised Grandma she could always live with them, and Mom and Dad planned to build the house and then move Grandma up north to join them. In the meantime, Grandma would live in Merced with my aunt. Upon completion of the house, my parents extended the invitation to Grandma to move in with them. They had built the house for possible elder disability: wider halls and doorways, and lower kitchen counters to make it accessible if any of the three of them ended up in a wheelchair.

Grandma refused to come.

Though my parents made numerous trips south to visit her, Grandma never changed her mind. Nor did she ever travel north, not even to visit or see the beautiful home my parents had built. A few years later, Grandma had a stroke. Mom and Dad rushed to be at her side, but Grandma died before they could arrive. Mom grieved deeply. In tears, she said to me, "I think she willed herself to die just so we'd never be able to talk things out." Those words haunt me.

After my mother's death, my brother sorted through the family papers and boxes of pictures. We talked about Mom and Grandma's relationship. I told him how I wished they had worked things out and could have loved one another the way they did in the picture he had sent. My brother believed the picture indicated they had. My aunt, on the other hand, felt certain Grandma never forgave Mom.

I look at their faces now as I write this. I see how they leaned into one another. Their lips are relaxed and curved, their eyes shining. And I pray whatever grievances Grandma held so tightly, she relinquished in the end. God can work right up to our last breath. Of this I am certain: Grandma believed in Jesus. So did Mom. I hold to Jesus' promise that He would not lose a single one who belonged to Him.

Yet, having seen their earthly pain, I do not want to make the same mistakes with my daughter. I want to share my life with her, offer my experience and hope - and, above all, my faith in the God who will watch over and guide her, and fulfill the plan He has for her life. In order to encourage, I will say often, "I love you." "You are God's gift to me." "You are a daughter of the King of kings."

Dear Lord, I thank You for the mother and grandmother You gave me. I thank You for the lessons they taught me. You have a plan for each of us, Lord, and it is a plan to build up our faith and not tear us down. I love You, Father. I trust You. I rest in You. In the name of Your precious Son, Jesus, I pray, Amen.

Application Steps:
Have you shared your past experiences with your children?

What holds you back?

Reflections:
Do I need to make amends with anyone?

If making amends might in any way harm the person I have hurt, how else might I make amends?

Power Verses:
John 15:12, "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." (NASB)

Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." (NASB)

1 Peter 4:8, "Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another because love covers a multitude of sins." (NASB)


© 2010 by Francine Rivers. All rights reserved.

God the Builder

"For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything." Hebrews 3:4 (NIV)

Anything my nine year-old son sets his mind to, he can build. Whether he is working with Legos, K'nex, or hammer and nails, you can count on him to build a masterpiece. When he was only seven he informed me he planned to build a clubhouse from scrap wood the "workermen" from the construction site down the road had given him.

I gave him a list of logical reasons why he could not build a clubhouse. My little guy listened, and then proceeded to tell me his logical reasons for how he could build a clubhouse. I knew in my mind I was right, but there was no convincing my "workerman."

It turns out I was wrong. He built that clubhouse: a floor, four wal ls (including cut outs for doors and windows) and a roof. This was proof positive he was born to build.

There was another young man who was born to build: Jesus. Jesus' earthly father Joseph was a carpenter by trade and customary to the times, taught his son carpentry skills. I picture Jesus as a young child carrying His tools of the trade, honing His skills. He probably hammered a nail or two in places His mother preferred He not. Perhaps He built benches for their humble home. Maybe Jesus even entertained thoughts of building a clubhouse! Yes, Jesus was born to build.

Jesus was born to build, but His primary building project was not buildings, furniture, or other wood items. Jesus was born to construct the majestic splendor of a living temple of God - His church. He does this through the lives of God's children. Jesus is our builder, fashioning us to reflect the image of God.

The Greek rendering for the words "built" and "builder" in our key scripture is t he same. The definition for these words is quite interesting: to furnish, equip, prepare, make ready; of one who makes ready for a person or thing; of builders, to construct, erect, with the included idea of adorning and equipping with all things necessary. Commentaries further explain the "house built" in our key verse is not a literal house, but a spiritual house.

God our Builder wants to erect, furnish, and prepare us to be ready to reflect His image. His desire is to adorn and equip us, His "living temples," with all things necessary to fulfill the purpose for which we were born. So many times we deny God access to our lives, giving Him logical reasons why we could not possibly be built into His image. He stands ready to give you reasons why you can be built into the image of God.

Are you ready to say yes to God's master plan for your life? He is the Builder of everything. He wrote the blueprint of your life before you were born. Will you let Him cr aft your life into the masterpiece it is meant to be?

Dear Lord, today I give You the keys to my heart, Your home. Forgive me for keeping You locked out of parts of my life. I want You to come into my heart and life to begin construction. You are the Master Builder; I give You permission to do all things necessary to craft me into the masterpiece I was meant to be. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

"Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted." (Psalm 127:1)
Do You Know Him?

Application Steps:
In a quiet place, read Psalm 139.

Reflections:
What ways do I reflect the image of God?

What areas of my life do not reflect the image of God?

Am I willing to allow God my Builder to do all things necessary to build me into His image?

Power Verses:
Psalm 127:1, "Unless the LORD builds the h ouse, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (NIV)

2 Corinthian 5:1, "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." (NIV)

1 Corinthians 3:16, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?" (NIV)

© 2010 by Wendy Pope. All rights reserved.