I am a Christian, a retired teacher, a mother and a grandmother. I love to read and I love the Lord Jesus Christ! Unless otherwise specified ,all visual illustrations are from the YOU VERSION APP of the Bible.
There is one true God. The Bible says this truth over and over. Yet there are many in the world today who don’t read or believe the Bible and they are chasing after other gods, trying to get the spiritual food they need from the wrong source. Sometimes each of us is probably guilty of chasing after counterfeits, the next great thing in the spiritual world. There are false teachers everywhere trying to get us to turn from God and towards them, but they are crafty and use God as their hook. Then, they reel in the unsuspecting and unwise person until they are trapped in the lie that they fell for. I am kind of like a banker who recognizes counterfeit bills because they handle real ones all the time. The more I press into God, the less likely I am to fall for counterfeits. Today’s world is very sneaky…the false gods are on the computer, the television and even in books that seen innocuous. But I believe that if we have a close personal relationship with God, the Holy Spirit that lives within us will warn us of danger when a fake god tries to captivate us with promises of wealth, health and long life. God gives the promises we need to spend eternity with Him, and that is enough for me.
From the YouVersion Bible App Devotional, “Daily Power, Day 6” by Craig Groeschel
I am not a “people person.” In fact, I am an introvert who enjoys books and interactions with people online, but I don’t enjoy going out to be among the masses of people. In fact, I was once diagnosed with agoraphobia (fear of crowded places) and was on medication and therapy as a result. I say all that because today’s devotional deals with stepping out and being with people. I cannot see Jesus just texting someone the answer to their prayer. He reached out and touched them. He spoke to them personally, listening and getting to know them and their needs. Jesus was a “people person” and if I am going to be like Jesus, I have to step out and be there for others. I am not sure how to begin, but as my father-in-law used to wisely say, “The best way to begin is just to start.”
From the YouVersion Bible App Devotional, “Daily Power, Day 5” by Craig Groeschel
Some people blame our lack of genuine community on the invention of the air conditioner. Before AC, people would sit on their front porches in the evenings and try to catch a breeze to cool off. They would wave at neighbors and visit with the ones who stopped to chat over a glass of lemonade. With air conditioning installed, people can stay inside and don’t have to interact with their neighbors.
Attaching garages to our houses didn’t help either. Instead of walking from our driveways or detached garages and exchanging greetings with neighbors along the way, we pull in, shut the door, and we’re inside our house. Fences, gated communities, answering machines, and caller ID reinforced this notion that we want to be left alone. We don’t have to interact with anyone, so we don’t. Now people interact online and through social media and really never have to interact. You can even shop online.
But Jesus always had time for other people. He talked to them, fed them, healed them, and forgave them. He often met physical needs in order to address spiritual needs. If we’re too busy even to interact with the people around us, let alone engage with their struggles, then we’re not following Christ’s example. And we’re also missing out on the blessing of loving and serving one another.
Today take the time to stop, listen, and talk with someone you see every day but rarely slow down to get to know.
Power Lift: Lord, it’s easy to make excuses about why I don’t engage with more people in my daily life. But you remind me to show your love to everyone I meet. Give me wisdom to know when to interrupt my schedule in order to bless those around me.
Knowing God is trusting God to do what is best for all, not just for me. I confess that there have been many times when I did not understand God’s will and why things were happening. My trust faltered, and in my weakness, I would find myself crying out to God and asking for reassurance that He is still in control. One such time was when our daughter miscarried when she was almost seven months pregnant. We had just spent a week together in a cabin, enjoying games, outings, food and fellowship with her and her family. The last days we were there, Hope stayed in bed, saying she wasn’t feeling well and just needed to rest. When she and the family left, she told me that she felt fine and was eager to get the sonogram done early that week that had been scheduled for a while already. My husband and I were still at the cabin, this time with our son and his family taking their turn with us. Then the phone call came. Hope was sobbing and I could barely understand her words. But they became plain soon enough, “She’s gone. The baby died.” I don’t know if I have ever felt such heartbreak before. Our beloved daughter was feeling so lost, and we were well over a day’s travel away. We hastily explained to Scott what had happened, packed up and went home (three hours away) and then re-packed and headed to Pennsylvania, praying for God to be with Hope and Aaron and the four children as they grieved. When we arrived the next day, we found that the obstetrician had Hope go through labor and give birth to the deceased infant. Tessa was perfectly formed, but tiny. Tests showed that she had a tumor and died from it. The family was in shock and inconsolable. My lighthearted and faith-filled daughter was silent and sad. My grandchildren didn’t understand how such a tragedy was possible. We went through the days following the loss trying to help Hope cope with the loss and to choose to move on. She was convinced that this was her last baby and she had lost her. Tessa Serenity was never going to walk the earth. I took walks with the younger children around their large property and we talked about where Tessa was now…in the arms of the Lord and happy to be there. But the sadness prevailed. Hope mustered her belief in a good God the best that she could and went on with life. Two summers later, we met at a shopping center on our way to the beach for a trip together again. I had kind of dreaded the trip because the last time we had been together for a vacation had ended in such heartache. When Hope got out of the car, she had on a shirt with a rainbow that said something like, “God keeps His promises.” She then told us, right there in the parking lot, that she was pregnant and that this baby was a “rainbow baby”, a gift after the loss of a beloved child. We cried together and rejoiced in God’s goodness. Less than five months later, little Teagan Noelle was born. I guess I should add here that Hope and Aaron name all of their children with the letter T and online she calls her children T1, T2, etc. The latest, little Teagan, is not called by a number because it was too difficult to skip the number 5 that belonged to Tessa and Teagan and the other kids didn’t understand the number 6. So Teagan became “sweet Tea” and that’s her nickname to this day. She knows that she has a sister waiting for her in heaven who was to be number five. And we all praise God for the blessing that she is. She just turned eight, a precocious and loving child who is the delight of all in her family. So why did Tessa have to leave this life so early? I don’t know and probably never will. But these events led me to lean hard into God and to trust His sovereignty even when I don’t understand it.
From the YouVersion Bible App Devotional, “Daily Power by Craig Groeschel, Day 4”
Years ago my wife Amy’s brother, David, was very sick. He was in the hospital, so we had everyone we knew praying for him—for his health, for healing, for a full recovery. For weeks and weeks, we prayed and prayed. But after several months, God healed David in a way we hadn’t planned. My brother-in-law, who was only thirty-four, left this earth and joined God in heaven.
My wife lost her only brother. My in-laws lost their only son. We were devastated and it was hard not to wonder, “Where was God in that? Why did we have to lose David?”
I helped do the funeral, and I invited people to know the Jesus who had changed David’s life and set him free from the bondage of a dark past. That day so many people said yes and invited Christ into their hearts, including Uncle Blue, a great guy and one of our family’s favorite people.
Recently Amy and I were reflecting on the positive ripple effect we could see in so many lives—all because God did not answer our prayer the way we wanted. “Would you trade everything that’s happened to get your brother back?” I asked. Without hesitating, she said, “No way. What God has done through our loss is greater than anything I could imagine.”
God’s will matters in the midst of our prayers. You don’t always get what you want when you want it. But you can always walk by faith and trust in God’s will.
Power Lift: Dear God, there’s so much I don’t understand about your ways. Today help me walk by faith and not by sight, trusting in your perfect and holy plan for my life.
Jesus’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane should be our prayer daily.
From the YouVersion Bible App Devotional, “Daily Power by Craig Groeschel, Day 3”
Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep. My mind spins with thoughts of appointments, responsibilities, and obligations for the following day. I worry about my kids, my friends, and members of our church. When everyone seems to be doing okay, I worry that I can’t think of anything to worry about! The best thing I do, though, is simply pray about all that’s weighing on me.
Sometimes people say, “All we can do now is pray.” It’s tempting to treat prayer like it’s a last line of defense. In actuality, though, prayer is our first line of offense.
We all have so many people depending on us that it can be hard to feel strong enough to do all that needs doing. We want to keep standing firm in our faith, but we become weary and feel so exhausted. That’s when we have to cry out for help, just like the psalmist says in today’s verse. We have to put our hope in the promises of God’s Word.
When you wake early because your mind and heart are troubled, you can rest in remembering what your Father has promised. He is with you and will never abandon you. He is in control and devoted to your growth for his good purposes. You don’t have to do everything that’s spinning around in your mind.
Today you can rest easy knowing that your hope is in God and not in your own efforts.
Power Lift: Today I cast my burdens before you, Lord, and trust that you can handle all that weighs on me and more. My hope is in you and I trust your timing to meet my needs as you show me my next step.
My Thoughts
I come from a family of hand-wringers and worriers. So, you might say that I have been perfecting this art of worrying for decades. I have also been learning (for fewer decades) how to let go and trust in God. I am not there yet because I still awaken in the middle of the night with my mind spinning. But I have learned to take deep breaths, release the troubles to God and go back to sleep. For me, that is good progress. I also recite scriptures that I have memorized to myself and sing praise songs in my mind. Sometimes it takes longer to go back to sleep, depending on what the issue is. But my belief is that I am awakened to pray, so I do and fall back to sleep when I feel comforted and the reassurance that God is taking care of things for me.
First, I must start by saying that I don’t exercise a lot physically. I do a few things every morning and throughout the day to stretch my muscles and to keep my neck, knees and arms moving so I can use them. I used to do indoor walking exercises but that became too much for me. Sometimes, I do chair exercises if I am feeling particularly motivated, but basically I am a slug.
Having said all that, the more sluggish I have become physically, it seems that I have become more and more motivated to read and study God’s Word and immerse myself in its truth. My daily goal is to find out something that I didn’t know before, to get a new insight. And even though I have read the Bible through every year for at least the last fifteen years, I am still learning and still amazed at all God shows me when I spend time with Him. The Bible is definitely alive in the hearts of His people and He shows me every day some new truth to hold close to my heart and then to share with others when the time is right. Now, for today’s devotional message…
From the YouVersion Bible App Devotional, “Daily Power by Craig Groeschel,” Day 2
If I’ve learned one thing from working out, it’s what happens when I stop for a while. Usually because of injury, and sometimes when my schedule gets too busy, I’m forced to skip the gym. But I can always tell the difference when I return.
Without exercise, our muscles atrophy. They become weaker and get stiffer at the same time. Without the benefit of regular exercise, our muscles deteriorate until they can no longer support us or perform the regular functions they once maintained. To be healthy, we must keep moving, stimulating our muscles in order for them to grow stronger.
Our heart muscles work the same way, both literally and figuratively. When we’re not praying, giving, serving, and loving on a daily basis, it becomes harder and harder to feel connected to God, to relate to other people, and to feel the joy that comes from serving them.
Stone hearts don’t harden overnight. They gradually atrophy until we find ourselves with a heart as cold as granite. Regular exercise allows us to love more deeply and serve more humbly. It keeps our hearts tender and compassionate, alive and grateful.
Power Lift: Dear Lord, I want my heart to be alive and tender, not hard and cold. Even when it’s painful, help me to be sensitive to the needs of others.
Since it is the day after Christmas, I am starting a new devotional and will share parts of it with you and I share my heart. Yesterday was a really good day, and not just because of presents. Rather, it was because of the presence of the Lord. I got to FaceTime with two of our three children and eight of our grandchildren. It was so much fun seeing their joyful faces as they opened gifts and expressed their appreciation to us and to each other. Plus, I got to talk to our son while he was traveling back home to Virginia from his Christmas visit to his wife’s family in Pennsylvania. I also talked to three of my four siblings and had talked with my youngest sister on her birthday on Christmas Eve. So, lots of communication with family.
The best thing that happened is after years of praying, my brothers talked to each other, cordially and with love and hope for the future. They had not talked for over seven years, and I have been praying for reconciliation the entire time, but I must confess that I didn’t have a lot of faith for it because I know my brothers well. Anyway, it happened and that was like the best Christmas gift ever!
I want God to write into my story that I tried to be a peacemaker. That is a goal for me, to bring people together and not apart. There is too much division in this world of ours and I don’t want to be a part of that. I want to help people see their commonalities and to build a relationship on them.
Now, onto the devotional…
From the You Version Bible App Devotional, “Daily Power by Craig Groeschel, Day 1”
One small decision today could have a big impact on tomorrow. Chances are you can think of something right now that you know God would love to include in your story. Just consider what might happen if you remember to floss tonight or work out tomorrow morning or attend church this Sunday or spend some special time with someone you love.
It doesn’t always take a long time to see big differences in your life. What story do you believe God wants you to tell five or ten years from now? What does God want you to want? Jot down your thoughts about what you believe God wants for your future. Your ideas don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to commit to what you write just yet. Just capture on paper the first thoughts that come to mind.
Based on what you believe God wants you to want, what discipline do you need to start doing to head toward where God wants you to go? Choose one thing. You’ll be tempted to pick three, four, or even ten, but don’t. Whatever you do, pick just one thing. Because if you pick more than one, you likely won’t achieve any of them. But if you select just one, you absolutely can start writing the story God wants you to write.
Power Lift: Show me how you want me to grow this year, God. Give me your wisdom and discernment to know how to focus my habits, choices, and routines on one area of change.
If we are keeping in step with the Spirit, we are in step with what God wants for our lives. Sometimes, I think I have totally missed the Holy Spirit, and then something happens and I know that He is watching me and urging me to “come on and get with the program.” God is writing my story and I know that I am not what He wants me to be yet but neither am I what I was.
From the YouVersion Bible App Devotional, “Advent, Day 25”
It’s a Merry Christmas
Two thousand years ago, the world was waiting for a Savior. He would be their hope for the future, peace in the present, joy in all moments, and love for all people. Little did they know that God was working out His grand plan through a small, lowly family in Bethlehem.
Today, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, who brought all those things, and more.
Where there was no hope, Jesus brought a new hope—hope founded on His life, death, resurrection, and the promise of His return.
Where there was no peace, Jesus brought a new kind of peace. A peace that isn’t dependent on the whims of humans, but on the unchanging nature of God who sustains us, makes us whole, and gives us a calmness the world can’t touch.
Where there was no joy, Jesus brought joy. To everyone under the oppression of sin, He offers freedom. And to the foreigners and outsiders, He offers a seat at His family’s table. Through Him, we can find joy in all things.
Where there was no love, Jesus brought love. During His life on earth, He spent time with people across varying social classes and ethnicities. He disregarded who culture told Him to associate with and instead offered His perfect love to everyone He met.
The Son of God made Himself low so that He might be raised above all. This Christmas, finish your Advent season by worshiping Him!
Pause, Read, and Reflect:
As you’re with family or friends, spend time reading today’s Scriptures aloud. Then, take a moment to read and reflect on this Christmas prayer together.
Lord, thank You for Your Son, who died to unite me with You. Today, I thank You specifically for Jesus’ birth, and the way this moment changed everything for the better. Help me to follow You with the same level of commitment that Christ had during His time on earth. In Jesus’ name, amen.
I created this using Canva, so feel free to share if you would like. It’s my online Christmas card.
My Thoughts
I was thinking that I would be sad today because it is just my husband and me here and no one is coming to celebrate with us until the 28th. But, I am not sad at all. I have shed a few tears but that’s because of the wonderful difference Christ has made in my life. I hope each of you have found the hope, joy and peace that only Jesus Christ can bring to you. Have the most wonderful Christmas ever! I am blessed to be a blessing and hope that you are, too.
From the YouVersion Bible App Devotional “Advent, Day 24”
All I Want for Christmas Is …
What do you want for Christmas this year? Maybe you’d like something practical, like a mini screwdriver set for your glasses. Or perhaps you’re hoping for something fun, like that new device you’ve been dropping hints about since August.
No matter what it is, you probably have some expectations. Maybe those expectations will lead to happiness or disappointment.
Before the birth of Jesus, the people of Judea had expectations too—an expectation that God would send a rescuer to save them and rebuild their nation.
If they knew about Christmas, they’d be saying, “All I want for Christmas is a strong, charismatic, inspiring leader who’s willing to do whatever it takes to lead our people to a better future.”
In the 500 years before Jesus’ birth, there had been a handful of these kinds of leaders, bent on violent revenge toward their enemies.
But why did they expect God’s savior to be a violent king? Because that was all they knew. The only time they’d experienced peace in the past was when a warrior king rescued them by force. So naturally, they wanted another strong ruler to guide their people to military victory.
But what they, and almost everyone in history, failed to notice was that violence can never secure lasting peace. Instead, violence simply passes violence down to the next generation.
God’s people experienced moments of peace when a warlord saved them, but only until another warlord overthrew them. And they were constantly overrun by powerful empires, who kept being defeated by other powerful empires.
So God’s people were waiting for something that couldn’t bring them lasting peace—a strong man, bent on ruling with an iron fist. A ruler who loved his people and hated their enemies. But that kind of ruler has never led them to lasting peace, and never could.
So, what kind of leader could bring them peace? A leader no one expected, or really even wanted.
A humble person from a small town, who looked nothing like a king.
A servant leader, with no ambition for national rule.
A gentle guide, who encouraged people to love their enemies.
A meek man willing to serve rather than be served.
And a king who would rather be the victim of violence than a source of violence.
Jesus was the Christmas present no one wanted but everyone needed. It was true then, and it can also be true today.
We’re wise to consider who we expect Jesus to be in our lives this Christmas and in the upcoming year.
Do we see Him as a biased leader who only loves the people who think and act like us? Or is He a divine Santa Claus, ready to bless those on the nice list and curse those on the naughty list?
Jesus is still breaking our expectations, even thousands of years later. So as you prepare for the big day tomorrow, consider your expectations. Who is Jesus to you?
Pause and Pray:
Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness to me in the past. Even though I don’t deserve it, You died to set me free. Help me to trust that You are giving me hope, peace, joy, and love right now, in the present. Help me to have faith that You are making the future better than the present or the past. In Jesus’ name, amen.
(Note that the colored and bold sentences were changed by me to draw your attention to what drew mine.)
My Thoughts
As I read the description of what Jesus was as opposed to who people expected Him to be, I got teary-eyed. I don’t expect Jesus to be a warrior, but I have expected Him to grant my wishes…for health, for safety, for blessings. It never occurred to me that He has already given me health, provided safety more times than I can count and blessed me far above what I deserve. My expectations are that He will carry out His plan for my life and I just have to get in step with it.
The most important word in this verse is the word ALL. We are not supposed to show a half-hearted attempt at seeking God. We need to be all in, all the time!
I have been guilty of wanting God to hurry up and send Jesus back, but the Lord always brings this verse to mind when I am getting impatient. God wants EVERYONE to repent. It’s not enough if ALL have not repented. God loves THE WORLD, not just a small part of it.
If you really want to know who Jesus is, this link may open the door for you to step out and start seeking. May you be blessed with the knowledge of Him who loves you completely and gave so you could know Him.
Read this poem and be in awe of the simple message that will dig deeply into your heart. Thanks to Big Sky Buckeye for sharing truth with us. Please go to the original post and follow the author. You are in for a real treat!
From the YouVersion Bible App Devotional, “Advent, Day 23”
What Does Love Look Like?
At the beginning of the week, we asked these questions:
What do you think of when you read the word “love”?
How would you describe love to someone else?
How would they know you were being loving through your words and actions?
How would you answer these questions after spending time reading about Jesus’ examples of love, and looking at Old Testament stories?
Often, we think of love as a happy, warm feeling that makes us feel good. We might consider a time when someone showed us kindness or made us feel seen. But love is so much more than a feeling.
Love is following Jesus’ example of loving everyone as valuable and worthy of sacrificial care, and we have many examples of people practicing God-honoring love throughout the Bible.
Today, let’s take another look at Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph. Mary was chosen by God to have His Son. But Mary and Joseph weren’t married, so everyone had their thoughts about what had really happened. Mary and Joseph had a decision to make about how they chose to respond to God, and they made the choice to love Him.
Mary served and loved God by joyfully responding to God’s call with faithful trust. She could have been bitter, angry, or frustrated. Instead, she embraced God’s purpose for her life because she knew the character and nature of God. She wasn’t trying to earn His love by having Jesus, but knew she was already fully loved by her heavenly Father.
Joseph chose to stay with Mary and raise the Son of God together. This decision took courage and trust. He could have turned his back on her. Instead, he cared for her throughout her pregnancy, maybe even bringing her soup and crackers to help with morning sickness. His love translated to outward actions and loving care.
Together, they would end up making a 90-mile journey when Mary was nine months pregnant, ultimately ending with baby Jesus being born in a barn.
Through Mary and Joseph’s story, we learn that we don’t love others by accident, but instead make the choice to care for them the same way God does. It’s looking beyond the mistakes or shortcomings to see the unique character God has placed in everyone. When we do, we gain an even greater understanding of the love He has for us.
Pause and Pray:
Gracious Father, thank You for sending Your Son through Mary and Joseph. Thank You for the unique ways they chose to trust and love You. I believe everyone is valuable and worthy of sacrificial care. Please help me to love You and the people around me with the same steady faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Joseph was an obedient servant of the Lord who looked beyond the circumstances and chose to believe and obey God. How often do I only look skin deep and choose to go my own way? Too many times to count! I pray to be more like Joseph, open to hearing God’s directions and following them no matter how it inconveniences or embarrasses me.
I know for certain that I am not nor will I ever be like Mary, the Lord’s mother, who was a teen when an angel appeared to her and gave her the news that she would give birth to the Messiah. God looks on the heart and knew that Mary would be a willing servant. I hope that I am getting more like Mary, but some days I look at myself honestly and know for a fact that I would have scoffed at the news from the angel and wanted some kind of proof about what was going to be happening to me. I am not there yet, but I am still on the road of faith and that’s a big deal for me. I like to think that God is pleased with the progress that I am making, but sometimes I know He is disappointed when I take a step back instead of forward. May we all learn to look at God through the eyes of faith of a young, unmarried virgin whose reply to the angel is to be emulated.
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