Devotions

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"Good Friday" Reminders To Keep for an Ordinary Day
April 7, 2023
by Lysa TerKeurst

“'My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,' he said to them. 'Stay here and keep watch.'” Mark 14:34 (NIV)

We all know what it’s like to wrestle through those deep disappointments in life that linger on and on.  We’ve all had situations in which we’ve prayed countless prayers, pleading with God to intervene and make things different.  But what I am so quick to forget is that even Jesus lifted up tear-filled prayers of desperation for God to make things different.  First, let’s look at the words from Jesus after He left the Last Supper with His disciples: “‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,’ he said to them. ‘Stay here and keep watch’” (Mark 14:34).

Jesus was now in the garden of Gethsemane, feeling the crushing weight of what He knew He must endure. He very much knew what He would soon experience during the crucifixion. Jesus knew that heart-crushing feeling. He felt it. He wrestled with it. He carried it.  During the Easter season, I have found such comfort in remembering the humanity of Jesus in this scene. Yes, Jesus was sinless, but He very much knew the overwhelming blows of being sinned against. Jesus understood betrayal, abuse and abandonment by people He should have been able to trust.  Later, in Mark 14:36, He said, “Abba, Father everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me” (NIV).

I so relate to these words of Jesus as He wrestled with thoughts like the ones I think all the time: God, everything is possible for You. So why aren’t You fixing this for me right now? Why does this have to be the plan?

I don’t want this to be the plan. Let there be a different plan. I mean, God, everything’s possible for You. And isn’t that part of what’s so complicated in our relationship with God? What makes our faith so strong is that we're utterly convinced that God is capable of everything. But what makes our faith feel like it’s falling apart is that we're so hyperaware that God is capable of everything, and we perceive He’s not doing the one thing we’ve begged Him to do.  But here’s the good news we can find on this Good Friday: The cross wasn’t the end of the story for Jesus. Actually, it was only the beginning. And because of the resurrection power Jesus brings, Good Friday is only the beginning for us too.  Suffering may be a part of our story, but it doesn’t have the final say in our story.  Heartbreak may be a part of our story, but it doesn’t have the final say in our story.  Grief may be a part of our story, but it doesn’t have the final say in our story.  Good Friday is our reminder that when everything feels lost, when darkness seems to take over, there is hope on the way. We know a better ending because we know a victorious Savior. Darkness may last for a while, but joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)  Easter isn’t just an annual celebration. It’s a personal revelation for right now. It’s where the unknowns of today feel less excruciating because of the certain victory of tomorrow. Oh, friend, take heart. Keep holding on to the hope you have in Jesus. He really does understand the depth of carrying sorrow and hope at the same time.  Keep these Good Friday reminders for an ordinary day when you need to be reminded you are not walking alone in your pain. Jesus hears you. He sees you. He understands you.

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Hope for the Overlooked Heart
APRIL 12, 2023
by Whitney Akin, COMPEL Training Member
 
“So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, ‘You are a God of seeing,’ for she said, ‘Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.’” Genesis 16:13 (ESV)

I remember the moment as if it were in slow motion. Every syllable of the word made me shrink a little smaller as he called me invisible.  It happened years ago when my husband was in a ministry that traveled to churches to lead worship. We spent a week at a small church in south Georgia. One of the members opened his home for a hamburger dinner after the last service on Wednesday night. We ate and laughed with his family. We listened to him tell vivid stories with a thick Southern accent.  When it was time to go, I stood by my husband as our host offered a boisterous goodbye to the other guests. But when he approached me, he looked confused, as if he’d never met me before.  “Well, you’re just invisible back there, aren’t ya?” he told me.

It wasn’t said with malice. It was just a matter-of-fact statement. After a week at his church and an evening in his home, I was as forgettable as a stranger.  I felt embarrassed, insignificant and so alone that night, surrounded by all those people.  Feeling invisible hurts. If we could sit down together and swap stories, you could probably share a moment when you felt deeply unseen. Every heart longs to be noticed. Simply open up Facebook or Instagram for proof that people everywhere will do just about anything to be seen.  But for most of us, being seen isn’t an empty ploy for attention. It’s a deep and abiding desire to be truly known. In our attempt to fulfill this desire, we desperately turn to the distracted world around us and wonder, Does anybody really see my heart?

The hard truth is that people aren’t always great at seeing each other. Only when something is loud, exciting, shiny or new are we prompted to lift our heads and notice. That means for most of us the average women we feel the sting of being overlooked.  Our key verse comes from a woman who must have felt much like I did that day in south Georgia invisible. Hagar was an Egyptian servant who was pregnant with Abraham’s illegitimate child and was fleeing the harsh words of her mistress, Sarah, in Genesis 16. All alone in her wilderness, she encountered a life-changing truth: There is a God who sees the overlooked.  “So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, ‘You are a God of seeing,’ for she said, ‘Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.’” (Genesis 16:13)

This is the first time in Scripture we hear this name: El Roi, the God Who Sees.  The name is sweeter because Hagar spoke it first. It isn’t just that God sees but that God saw her. Hagar’s story shows us that God doesn’t just see and love the key players, the ones from the right story line and bloodline and family line, the called and set apart, the covenantal children He sees and loves the overlooked too.  This name, the God Who Sees, doesn’t simply describe what God does; it reveals His character. God is omnipresent, everywhere all at once. He’s also omniscient, knowing everything all the time. So God, by His very nature, cannot overlook us.  When we feel invisible to the world around us, we do not go unnoticed by our Father. We can be sure He sees every heartache, every unspoken word, every sacrifice and every longing. When we lift our eyes to Him, like Hagar, we can declare, “I have seen Him who looks after me.”

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God Sees, God Knows, God Cares
APRIL 13, 2023
by Lysa TerKeurst
 
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.” 2 Chronicles 16:9 (ESV)

Trying to control your own life is exhausting.  Ask me how I know.  With my mouth, I say I trust God, but in reality, I get overwhelmed by trying to fix and control things myself. “I trust God” becomes nothing but a statement I feel I should say rather than what I’m actually living out.  Distrust settles in. Self-reliance becomes my go-to. And then I wonder why I feel more and more exhausted.  If you can relate to these confessions, there are specific passages of Scripture I want us to look at together today.  Second Chronicles 16 is the last of three chapters detailing the story of Asa, king of Judah. Sadly, though, this chapter stands in sharp contrast to the two just before it. In 2 Chronicles 14-15, we learn that God had given Asa “rest on every side” because of his dependence on the Lord (2 Chronicles 14:7; 2 Chronicles 15:15, NIV). God even gave Asa victory in the face of a massive army. Yet in Chapter 16, when King Asa found himself in a border conflict with King Baasha of Israel, Asa had a sudden and surprising shift in behavior. Instead of crying out to God as he had before, Asa immediately turned to his own means of addressing the situation — misusing the treasures of the temple and placing his hope in an unwise military alliance.  The ultimate result? Unrest for Asa and his people. This king, whose faith meant victory in the past, invited battles into his future because he refused to trust God in the present.  I find his story convicting, sobering and so very important to pay attention to. Just like Asa's, our past declarations of faith are no guarantee that we will rely on God in the future. Faith is a present, ongoing choice for every believer.  That’s why I want us to look at two truths from 2 Chronicles 16 that will help us keep choosing to trust God, not just with our words but also with our actions:

1) God is not blind to our circumstances or our choices to trust Him.
When life gets hard, we can sometimes wonder if God is blind to all we’re facing. But there’s a beautiful reminder tucked into the words the prophet Hanani spoke to Asa in 2 Chronicles 16:9a: “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.”

We serve a God who sees. He is an all-knowing, ever-present God who is continually aware of every detail of our lives. And not only is God aware, but He’s also looking to strengthen individuals who are willing to wholeheartedly place their trust in Him.

2) God has been faithful before, and He will be faithful again.
I wonder how differently Asa’s future would have turned out if he had stopped to remember God’s faithfulness to him in the past.  Fear makes us forgetful. This is why we must purposefully look back and trace God’s hand of faithfulness in our lives. God’s faithfulness before assures us He will be faithful again. (Hebrews 10:35-36) We see this truth not only as we look back at our own lives but also as we read the story of God’s faithfulness woven throughout all of Scripture.  Oh, friend. Let’s take inventory of any areas where we’re inviting not only exhaustion but possibly destruction into our lives because we’re refusing to rely on God. Do our frantic and controlling actions fail to match our faith-filled declarations?

Let’s not just declare we have faith. Let’s live out loud that we believe God is good, faithful and trustworthy.  Let’s stop running to fix things our way because then we can fix our eyes on God. (Isaiah 26:3) He sees. He knows. He cares. We can rest assured.

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When God Hasn't Given You the Desires of Your Heart
April 14, 2023
by Grace Valentine

“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 (NIV)

God has blessed me with so many good things. A safe place to live, food to eat, people to love and serve yet if I’m being really honest with you, I always seem to desire more.  I want a relationship with a good man who enjoys sushi as much as me, and I want a pretty house, maybe even one with a pool in the suburbs. I would love two goldendoodles who hopefully don’t have any expensive vet bills.  Also, I desire more brunch plans with fun friends, a way to stay healthy while eating fast food every day, and a career I love that pays the bills.  Is that too much to ask for?

The other day, I thought about all the things I desired that weren’t happening, and out of my frustration, I felt a sarcastic laugh bubble up. Ha ha, God, You said You would give me the desires of my heart. But nope, I’m not seeing them. So much for that.  I was frustrated because I thought if I was holding the pen writing my story, my life would be different. I thought if I was “good” good would come my way.  But here I am. I still juggle a couple jobs while I write on the side. My mornings are early, and my small house has an old, white fridge that could die any day. I sometimes feel left out by my friends, but I know it’s probably more my insecurity than their actions. I struggle with my body image and friendships at times, and I am single.  So in response to my frustration that I didn't have more of my desires, I went back and read the Bible passage where I thought God promised to give me the desires of my heart.  Read it with me, friends:  “Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun” (Psalm 37:3-6, NIV).

If you also feel like you want more in your life and feel a little disappointed that God hasn't given you some of your want then let's break down these verses together. I noticed when rereading this passage that God calls us to trust, delight and commit. Understanding this changed my perspective and gave me peace in the midst of a season of wanting more.

1.  “Trust in the LORD and do good … ” (Psalm 37:3, NIV, emphasis added)

Notice this verse doesn’t say, “Trust in your plans and do good.” We are called to trust in the Lord and let God be sovereign over it all. Even when we don't understand the chapter, we must trust that the Author of our story is good. We should also do good, but not as an exchange for good to come our way. We do good because God is good to us. While we wait on blessings, instead of sitting around wishing for more, we should be a blessing to others.

2.  "Take delight in the LORD …” (Psalm 37:4, emphasis added)

Before the verse even mentions the Lord giving us the desires of our hearts, it reminds us to take delight in the Lord. When we delight in God, we care more about what makes His Kingdom grow than what makes our happiness grow, and celebrating Him helps us remember our lives were never meant to be all about ourselves. When we delight in the Lord, we realize we don’t need expensive things, a picture-perfect life, or the fulfillment of all our dreams to find joy. We can find His presence and His joy in big moments, sure but also in the little moments. Getting coffee with a friend, watching our child get excited when they pass a hard test, enjoying a sunny day in the midst of winter. When we delight in God, our desires become less about us and more about His will and peace.

3.  “Commit your way to the LORD … ” (Psalm 37:5, NIV, emphasis added)

When we commit to doing life with God, we have a real relationship with Him. Just like when a husband and wife commit and share vows, our commitment to Christ means our lives are no longer our own. We now have a purpose and meaning that's not about being the main character and life going our way. We trust God because He loves us. As a result, even in the midst of a busy Thursday, while running errands, or during back-to-back meetings, His joy shines bright like the morning sun. He gives us peace in the chaos and unexpected hardships.

So today, it is my prayer that you and I will desire more of Jesus and less from the world. With Jesus, when we trust, delight and commit to the Lord, we can find peace in His plan and be OK even when life isn't going how we dreamt it would.

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The Unexpected Gift of Kind Words
April 26, 2023
by Carolyn Lacey

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

When my children were younger, I encouraged a “no banter” rule in our home.  While banter is generally considered good-natured and harmless, I know that teasing remarks, even made in jest, can cause deep hurt. After all, there’s usually some truth behind those lighthearted comments that could spark feelings of failure, guilt or worthlessness.  It’s easy, in an unguarded moment, to join in with banter, make an unkind comment, drop a sarcastic reply or quick-witted retort. But we often don’t stop to think about how our words might land.  A few months ago, I broke my own rule and joined in some lighthearted joking with friends. I made a quip about a friend’s tendency toward pessimism, and as soon as the words left my mouth, I knew they had inflicted pain.  My friend already knew she struggled with negativity she didn’t need me to point it out, especially in front of others. She felt guilty and frustrated that she wasn’t as cheerfully optimistic as other women. She didn't need me to use her struggle as fuel for entertainment.  As I saw her face fall and later watched her retreat to another room, I felt ashamed. My words were cruel, not kind. They put her down instead of building her up. They caused harm, not good.  I am grateful that my friend was quick to show grace when I asked for forgiveness. She didn’t hold a grudge or try to make me feel worse than I already did. She spoke words of kindness I did not deserve.  And that’s the thing about kindness: It is always undeserved.  Our key verse, Ephesians 4:32, commands us to “Be kind and compassionate to one another.”

In the New Testament, the Greek word most commonly used for “kind” has less to do with being nice and sweet and more to do with generosity and grace. It isn’t an automatic response to someone else’s good deeds but is an undeserved and unexpected gift. That’s why kind words can have such a deep and lasting impact on those who receive them.  When we know we deserve rebuke or correction but instead are offered patience or affirmation, it makes all the difference to our day.  This is what God does for us in Christ.  We were His enemies because of our sin, but if we place our faith in Him, He calls us “friends” (John 15:15, NLT). We deserve to be shut out of His Kingdom, but He invites us, “Come” (Matthew 11:28, NLT). We deserve His righteous wrath, but He offers forgiveness. (Ephesians 2:3-7)  He consistently encourages our hearts through the Scriptures with words of kindness. To the lonely, He says, I am with you. To the rejected, I love you. To the weak, I will strengthen you. To the hurting, I will heal you. (Isaiah 43:3; Jeremiah 31:3; Isaiah 41:10; Ezekiel 34:16)  Our heavenly Father lavishes words of kindness on us. And He can shape our speech so that we can learn to do the same.

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Starving Our Scarcity Mindset
April 27, 2023
by Lysa TerKeurst

“These were his instructions to them: ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.’” Luke 10:2 (NLT)

Have you ever wondered if there’s any need for you and the dreams tucked in your heart when there are already so many successful people out there?

I totally understand.  Several years ago, I remember pouring out all the best words I had through pixelated letters-turned-pages-turned-book proposal. I tucked my heart and dreams into a purple OfficeMax binder and hoped for the best.  That summer, I gave my proposal to several acquisition editors. For months after sending out my proposal, I dreamed about the day some publishing house would say yes.  I can’t tell you the number of afternoons I’d stand at my mailbox, holding my breath, praying there would be good news inside. When the rejection letters started coming, I tried to keep up the hope that surely there would be one positive answer. I just needed one publisher to say yes.  Soon, I’d received a no from all but one publisher. And when I got that final rejection, I felt so foolish for thinking I could actually write a book. My dream was nothing but a sham. I had no writing skills. And I must have heard God all wrong.  At the same time, I had other writer friends who were getting different letters from publishers.  Amazing letters.  Dreams-come-true letters.  Letters that turned into book contracts.  In my better moments, I did the right thing and authentically celebrated with them. But behind the scenes, there were hard moments happening inside of me.  Moments where I felt like my friends’ lives were rushing past me in a flurry of fulfilled goals, new opportunities, and affirmations of their callings from God. It seemed the world was literally passing me by. On the inside, I just kept thinking, Ouch that means less and less opportunity for me even though, on the outside, I declared, “Good for them.”

I wrestled, and I processed.  And I decided to get still. But this stillness wasn’t passive. I actively had to make the choice to reject the fears that said I’d been left out and left behind. And I had to starve my scarcity mindset of thinking that opportunities had passed me by altogether.  Then I could see new and life-giving possibilities. Maybe I wasn’t ready yet, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t ever be ready. Now was the time to stop looking around and start focusing on becoming the best writer I could be. And eventually, I wrote something worth publishing.  Looking back on that season, this is the nugget of wisdom that sticks with me: Her success does not threaten yours or mine. When a sister in Christ does well, we all do well. All tides rise when we see her making this world a better place with her gifts.  When I finally started believing this, my stillness turned into readiness. And that was over 25 published books ago.  Even if your dream isn’t book writing, let Jesus’ words in Luke 10:2 sink into the deep places of your heart today: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

And this is where we have a choice to make.  We can look out and see the unlimited, abundant opportunities God has placed before us. To create. To write. To try. To grow. To serve. To sing. To be and become. To harvest for Him.  Or we can stare at another person’s opportunity and get entangled in the enemy’s lie that everything is scarce. Scarce thinking. Scarce supply. Scarce possibilities. And we start seeing another person's creations as a threat to our own opportunities.  Oh, friend, there is an abundant need in this world for your contributions to the Kingdom your thoughts, words and artistic expressions your exact brand of beautiful. Know it. Believe it. Live it.

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I Was Glad I Went to Church
May 8, 2023
by Anitha Abraham

“Eli answered, ‘Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.’ She said, ‘May your servant find favor in your eyes’. Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.” 1 Samuel 1:17-18 (NIV)

The Saturday before Mother’s Day, I started preparing my husband in advance “I don’t want to go to church tomorrow.”

Tearful, I was in a complete funk.  Graciously, he listened and kindly talked me through what I was feeling. “Where is this coming from?” he asked.

I didn’t have a good answer for him.  The fact that my husband and I don’t have children has never consumed me. However, over the past few years, Mother’s Day has become increasingly difficult. It started when my young nephews gave me a Mother’s Day card at church. I immediately started crying in the lobby. Ever since then, I’ve become more aware of how sensitive I am about this holiday.  By skipping church, I wanted to avoid the tears as much as possible. At least I didn’t want other people seeing me ugly cry. I just wanted to be by myself.  After I finished talking to my husband, I decided to go for a walk. I hit “shuffle” on my music app and immediately heard the words of a worship song:  “My weapons are praise and thanksgiving. This is how I fight my battles ...”

I felt God stirring my heart with these words. Was I fighting my battle, or was I retreating in isolation?

While solitude can be healing sometimes, in my case I realized I wanted to run from the house of God so I could hide, not heal. Really, church was exactly where I needed to be surrounded by God's people in a saturated environment of God's presence.  In 1 Samuel 1, there is a story of a barren woman named Hannah. Her situation was especially difficult because of a sister-wives competition that was going on. “This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat” (1 Samuel 1:7, NIV).

Year after year drama and heartache. Going to the temple was a reminder of what she didn’t have.  Hannah didn’t let that stop her. She went to the house of God and took her heartache to the One who could do something about it.  She poured out her soul to the Lord and told Eli, the priest: “‘... I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.’ Eli answered, ‘Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.’ She said, ‘May your servant find favor in your eyes.’ Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast” (1 Samuel 1:16-18, NIV).

In that moment, nothing about her situation had changed, but something in Hannah did.  I don’t know what is going on in your world that may cause you to say, “I don’t want to go to church,” like I did.

Maybe it’s a holiday that is a painful reminder of what you don’t have or maybe there are people at church who have hurt you or maybe it's just the opposite you don’t feel like anyone knows you at all.  I want to encourage you to go to the house of the Lord. Position yourself to receive from your heavenly Father and from the saints around you. Both can be a healing balm to our souls if we are open to them.  I’ll tell you I am glad I went to church that day. I worshipped and prayed. I heard a wonderful teaching from a pastor who was grieving personal loss. I enjoyed fellowship with friends and family afterward. We celebrated with our moms. It was a great day.  My situation hadn’t changed, but something changed in me. Does this mean I will never struggle again with these feelings? No. But I pray I remember what I learned that weekend: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD’” (Psalm 122:1, NLT).

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Trusting God With the Outcome
May 10, 2023
by Tara Sun

“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.” Psalm 37:5 (ESV)

I was 14 when a doctor diagnosed me with fibromyalgia, a debilitating chronic illness that usually affects women in their later years.  Up until this moment, life had been relatively easy. Smooth sailing. Not too many bumps in the road or deviations from the plans that I had for my life until that harrowing diagnosis.  Suddenly, life took a completely different path than I ever expected. Through that diagnosis, God showed me how I was holding on to my plans and my story, however well-intended, with a white-knuckled death grip instead of trusting Him to direct my paths.  You see, the world preaches a seductive message of manifestation, girl-bossing and the power of positive thinking. It’s flashy and enticing at first glance. I mean, it doesn’t sound half bad the idea of focusing on the positive and going after what we want in life.  But here’s the catch, my friend: Planning, dreaming and living responsibly in light of what God has given us is one thing. But holding on to our plans so tightly that we are not willing to surrender to God’s sovereign hand and plan?

That’s another thing.  King David instructs us in Psalm 37:5 to give our plans to the Lord: “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.”

This commitment is a trust in Yahweh not ourselves to produce the outcome. We provide a surrendered heart, and God provides the outcome of our stories.  When Jesus spoke to His disciples in Luke 9:23-27, He laid out what it means to follow Him. The first step was to deny themselves, or relinquish personal control over their lives. This message is for us too. The idea of “letting go and letting God” is difficult and countercultural. I, too, have struggled with surrendering my life to God for fear of not getting what I want out of life. But the good news is that surrender brings more freedom, purpose and fulfillment than striving and controlling ever could.  Because God created us and loves us, we can trust that He has a better outcome for our lives than we could ever imagine. Because God knows all and sees all, we can trust that even if our stories don’t turn out the way we originally thought, He is a redeemer who works all for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28).  When we offer our lives as living sacrifices in surrender to God, we can rest assured that God will act in accordance with the goodness of His heart and the promises in His Word. We are safe in surrender. We are free not to have it all under control because we serve a God who does.

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Devotions
The One Voice I’m Learning To Listen to as a Mom
May 15, 2023
Ruth Schwenk
by Ruth Schwenk

"The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children." Romans 8:16 (NIV)

Long gone are the diapers and sippy cups. No more onesies. Or high chairs. And as my children have outgrown one season and grown into another, becoming teens and young adults, I’ve been experiencing some “proud mom” moments coupled with sighs of relief as I see the fruit of my labor as a mom becoming a reality.  No, this relief isn’t because my children are perfect or because I feel like I have “made it.” The relief is that through 20 years of being a mom, I am learning who to listen to.  We all have those voices in our lives, often speaking with sincerity, that try to help us by telling us what we should or shouldn’t do or be. Those voices can seem especially loud for us moms. Maybe it is even our own voice speaking words of insecurity, shame or inadequacy. Whatever voices seem the loudest, this new season of mine is marked not by becoming deaf to those voices but instead by becoming far more discerning. I still want to listen and learn. But when it comes to who I listen to and am shaped by, I'm more selective.  It’s no surprise that as we turn to the pages of the Bible, we are often told to listen to voices of wisdom and truth. A good example is Romans 8:16: “The [Holy] Spirit himself,” Paul writes, “testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

One of the primary jobs of the Holy Spirit is to speak to us. He reminds us who we are. His job is to testify to what is true. So the voice I am learning to listen to the most is God’s voice.  Yes, we listen to the voices of others to learn and grow, but ultimately God’s voice guides us and grounds us in this journey. Here are three reasons we listen to God’s voice above all the rest:

1. God’s voice reminds us that we are loved.

What really grounds us is not seeing the fruit of our labor, getting thanked for it, or feeling respected and fulfilled because of it. What steadies our souls is that our Father deeply loves us, and we are in Christ through faith. We are God’s children, fully accepted and cherished, not because of our works as moms but because of the work of Christ.

2. God’s voice leads us without driving us.

People’s voices try to drive us as moms, telling us what we should be and do. Too often, we get caught up in the chorus and become driven by fear, pride or insecurity. In contrast, the voice of God is one that “will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13a, NIV, emphasis added). He reminds us that motherhood is not a race or a competition. Just as He is leading us, He is leading our children. We don’t have to be anxious, fearful or envious.

3. God’s voice makes us more like Jesus.

Many times, the voices around us tell us what we’re not. God's good and gracious voice reminds us of the hope of who we are becoming. Motherhood is not about perfection; motherhood is about God making us more like our perfect Savior, Jesus, every day. This process of being perfected is a lifelong journey of the Holy Spirit’s work inside us that will one day be complete when Christ returns. We are to tune our ears to Him the Author and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2). He alone can truly help us when we are weak, and He humbles us when we rely too much on our own strength.

So today when you hear all those outside voices, or maybe even the ones inside, stop and listen. But listen first to the voice of love and truth the voice that matters the most. The voice of a good and perfect Father who saves all who trust in His Son, Jesus. The voice of the One who calls you His own.

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On Stashing and Storing
May 19, 2023
by Karen Ehman

“Your word I have treasured and stored in my heart, That I may not sin against You.” Psalm 119:11 (AMP)

It was a sunny, 73-degree day, and I decided to take my laptop and some cold-brew coffee out to the back deck to continue whittling down my inbox in the fresh air.  But as I rounded the corner into the kitchen, I spied my husband already out on the deck, putting on the patio furniture covers, stashing away the pillows, and cranking down the umbrella.  “What are you doing?” I asked. “I was just about to take my coffee out there and work.”

“Check your weather app, Frances,” he chirped back, tossing in my middle name for a tease.

Sure enough, in less than a half hour, the brightly colored radar showed severe storms headed our way. A high-wind advisory had also been issued, thus my husband’s batten-down-the-hatches behavior.  In just a few hours, the meteorologists’ predictions came true. Gusting winds, thunderbolts and lightning flashes ricocheted around our backyard. My husband’s careful and timely preparation had thwarted any damage to our patio furniture or anything that got in its way had the wind picked it up!  Psalm 119:11 gives us a glimpse of a person who spiritually prepares for future storms specifically, the storms caused by temptations to sin: “Your word I have treasured and stored in my heart, That I may not sin against You.”

This depicts a person both treasuring and storing God’s Word in their heart to prevent the damage of sin that results when we choose wrongly.  In the original rendering of this verse, the concept of both treasuring and storing Scripture is captured by a single Hebrew word: tsaphan. Upon studying this word, I can see why it is not easily translated into one simple English word.  Tsaphan on one level means “to hide, save up, treasure or store.”

But it doesn’t stop there. It also portrays the acts of lurking, stealthily watching and ambushing! When we roll it all into one, we see just how to combat sin by having our hearts armed with the Word of God.  Just like my husband secured and stored away our patio furniture before a huge thunderstorm, we can treasure and store Scripture in our hearts and call it to memory when we need it for weathering the temptations of sin that blow our way. God’s Word aids us in defending against Satan’s schemes. We can stand armed and ready to pull out the weapon of the Word when we feel enticed, just as Jesus did in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11).  When I am tempted to lash out in anger, James 1:19 can invade my thoughts and remind me, “My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger” (CSB).

When I’m just about to open my mouth and let some gossip leak out, I can recall Proverbs 11:13: “A gossip goes around revealing a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence” (CSB).

Sometimes heartaches in life come from the wrong and sinful choices that we make. The fallout of such choices finds us anxious and regretful. But we can purpose to prepare for the temptations that lie ahead before they reach us by knowing that they’re inevitably coming (John 16:33). We can not only read and study our Bibles; we can also commit verses to memory. We’ll be better equipped to stand firm through life’s storms when we prepare for them before they’re here.  Let’s prepare for the times of testing that most certainly come. When we treasure God’s Word enough to store it in our minds and hearts, we stand ready to rely on its power in times of turmoil or temptation.

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Looking for God’s Goodness While Waiting for His Good
May 22, 2023
by Alicia Bruxvoort

“Yet I am confident I will see the LORD's goodness while I am here in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:13 (NLT)

“I know God can work all things for good,” I admit as we sit outside the coffee shop, hot mugs in our hands and warm sunshine on our backs. “I just wish He’d give me a glimpse of what He’s doing in all this.”

My friend doesn’t need a detailed definition of this. She’s walked me through a recent heartache and prayed with me for a miracle. She’s shown up with groceries, lattes and hugs and has refused to offer pithy platitudes when the outcome of our prayers hasn’t matched the longing of our hearts.  I pull a yellow slip of paper from my pocket and hand it to her so she can read my scribbles: “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” (Romans 8:28, NIV).

For months, I’ve carried this promise around as a reminder that even though my circumstances don’t feel good, God is still working for my good.  I’ve turned Romans 8:28 into a prayer of faith, and I’ve waited expectantly for God to answer. Yet as my circumstances remain unchanging, my hope is slowly waning.  My conversations with God have begun to shift from I know You can take this mess and do something marvelous with it ... to Where are You, and what are You doing?

As my friend and I sip our coffee, I wrap words around my discouragement, and she listens without judgment. She nods in understanding, then speaks a gentle truth: “Even when we can’t see how God is working for our good, we can choose to see His goodness.”

Her wisdom dangles in the silence between us as she digs for something in her purse. “I carry a verse with me too,” she says with a playful wink. “It’s a reminder to open my eyes.”

She hands me her phone, and I read the pixelated promise splayed across the screen: “Yet I am confident I will see the LORD's goodness while I am here in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13).

The verse brings both comfort and conviction. When did I stop noticing the Lord’s goodness? I wonder as the psalmist’s words stir my heart.  We head home when our coffee grows cold, and I tuck that crumpled piece of yellow paper inside my prayer journal. I won’t stop believing God’s promise in Romans 8:28 and waiting in expectation. But there’s something I need to do in the meantime.  I turn to a fresh page in my journal. Lord, help me to see Your goodness, I whisper. I slow my swirling thoughts and think back through the moments of my day. Then I put pen to paper and name what I see:

1.  A friend who speaks in love.
2.  Tulips blooming in my yard.
2.  Laughter around the dinner table.

My discouragement doesn’t instantly disappear, but as I turn my scribbles into praises, my heart feels lighter, and my frustration grows quieter.  I close my journal and fold the corner of the page to mark my spot. Tomorrow I will pause to notice again. Because a wise friend is teaching me that even before we see God’s promised good, we can rejoice in His present goodness.  And it’s there at the intersection of faith and sight that hope grows.

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Raising Kids With Steadfast Faith in a Culture of Darkness
May 24, 2023
by Nicole Hunt

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

As a millennial mom to four kids in the middle school and young teen years, I feel like the world has been turned upside down.  All around us, evil is called good, and good is called evil. Our culture tells us right and wrong are relative. It rejects the objective standard of Truth for a much more convenient and subjective standard of “your truth.” And while it preaches tolerance, this worldview insists that everyone conform to its secular ideology.  So as parents, how do we raise children who are steadfast in their faith when culture relentlessly seeks to deceive and confuse them?

In the times of the early Church, the Apostle Paul was in a similar situation with the church in Philippi. In Philippians 4:1, Paul lovingly encouraged the church to be steadfast in the Lord.  In the verses that follow, Paul directed them to think about “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8).

Essentially, Paul called these believers to be steadfast in their faith by developing godly character and conduct the results of pursuing biblical wisdom.  Parents can adopt this same plan when it comes to raising kids in today’s culture. We must lead our children to intentionally develop biblical wisdom and discernment so they may live with steadfast faith in this broken world.  Easier said than done, right? What practical steps can we take to raise children who are steadfast in their faith?

1.  Guide your children in the pursuit of biblical wisdom and discernment.

God’s Word is the very best source of wisdom and wisdom leads to godly actions and right living.  Intentionally set aside time to read the Bible with your children. As they get older and are able, encourage them to read it on their own too. Then offer to discuss what they’re reading and learning.  Romans 12:2 instructs us to live with renewed minds, and the path to a renewed mind is through the intentional pursuit of godly wisdom.  Knowing about the fruit of the Holy Spirit is one thing; choosing to live it out is another (Galatians 5:22-25). And yet another layer of the conversation is discerning whether or not our actions are consistent with God’s call on our lives to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. Getting to that last layer helps us grow in wisdom and discernment.

2.  Be gentle with your children, always leading with love.

The pursuit of wisdom and steadfast faith will inevitably include failure. It’s not about perfection but the pursuit of excellence.  We want to inspire our kids with God’s Truth not break their spirits or push them away from God. This requires gentleness and love in both our words and actions.

3.  Live it out in your own life.

If we hope to teach our kids to pursue godly wisdom, we must first pursue godly wisdom ourselves. If we hope to inspire steadfast faith in our children, we must aspire to it in our lives. Let your life successes and failures be an example to your child.  As parents, the very best thing we can ever do for our kids is model an authentic and growing relationship with Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of our lives.  And we can be encouraged that God is with us every step of the way as we guide our children in the pursuit of wisdom and godly character. The journey may seem daunting, but we are never alone or without His faithful guidance.

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What if the Next Big Step God Wants You To Take Is Small?
May 25, 2023
by Lysa TerKeurst

“in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:6 (NIV)

It was a hot day inside and outside at the orphan village in Liberia. Twelve boys inside, practicing choir music, found their eyes wandering over to the soccer field, where the promise of fun and the cheers of their friends tugged at them.  They were feeling the pull of wanting to go outside and play soccer. But these boys determined the choir was worth the sacrifice.  Years earlier, Liberia had been ravaged by a civil war that left more than 25,000 orphans to be cared for. So to raise money and support, an a cappella boys’ choir was formed to travel throughout the country of Liberia and perform in churches.  Two of the teenage boys in that choir, Jackson and Mark, had been orphaned as babies when their parents and most of their siblings were killed by rebel forces.  Night after night, these boys knelt beside their makeshift beds and poured out prayers of thanksgiving and hope that one day they’d hear six simple yet life-changing words: “You are my child welcome home.”

God had a perfect design for their prayers to be answered and worked miracle after miracle to bring the boys’ choir to America. But little did I know my family would be part of the answer to Mark and Jackson’s prayers.  Life was already busy and full, as I was a mom to three little girls. So you can imagine my surprise that the night I went to see The Liberian Boys’ Choir concert at our church, I was stirred to consider adoption.  As I sat in the concert, God whispered to my heart that two of those boys singing were mine. No, I thought. Not me. I felt like sticking my fingers in my ears and singing, La, la, la, la, la I’m not listening to You, God! But the stirring in my heart wouldn’t stop.  I decided to try a new tactic with Him: Lord, I just came here tonight to bring my girls. I’m not looking for a major life change. Life is already very full with work, speaking, writing and home-schooling. Besides, all my friends would think I was crazy.  But God wasn’t discouraged by my response. His directive in my heart became more intense as the evening went on. After the concert, I asked the coordinator of the event which of the boys still needed homes. He told me eight of the boys still needed to find families and encouraged me to walk into the reception area where they were. If God intended for some of these boys to be part of my family, he was sure I’d know it.  Reluctantly, I walked into the reception area. In a matter of seconds, Jackson and Mark walked up to me, wrapped their arms around me, and called me Mom.  I was moved and terrified at the same time.  What began as a small heart prompting had turned into a very big decision.  I cried out to God, desperate for His guidance and wisdom as I pondered every aspect and wrestled with this decision deep in my spirit.  Still, doubts and questions flooded my mind.  One day, I called a friend and poured out my heart. She patiently listened without much response as I asked, “Why me?”

Then, quietly and prayerfully, she answered: “Because God knew you’d say ‘yes,’ Lysa.”

I was stunned. I think that was the highest compliment I could have ever received. My heart was filled with joy as my mind was filled with memories of the years of small steps God had me take to reach the place where I could be prepared to take this much bigger step.  Now, many, many years later, I think back to sitting in that church pew, just going about my ordinary life when God’s extraordinary invitation burst forth. I could have so easily walked out of that church and ignored God’s stirring. I’ve done that more times than I’d like to admit. But look at everything I would have missed out on had I done that.  Hear my heart: I’m not saying everyone is called to adopt. Honestly, the next big step God wants you to take might actually be small. But we’ll never know what that next step is if we don’t “submit to him” everything we do, as Proverbs 3:6 instructs us.  Each day, we can look for His invitation to leave our plans behind to join Him in His wondrous work through small steps of obedience.

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Beautifully Broken
May 30, 2023
by Stacy J. Lowe

“For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3 (NLT)

SMASH!  The sound of shattering clay filled the room, and my heart sank. An artist’s project, many hours in the making, had somehow toppled off the table and crumbled on the cement floor below.  And this wasn’t the first accident, either. This likeness of the artist’s own head, so carefully and skillfully crafted over a number of weeks, had suffered a previous minor fall from a drying rack.  Now I watched the artist’s eyes widen in horror at this new, much more devastating blow. Oh, how my heart went out to her!  While not a sculptor myself, I do know how it feels to have something you’ve poured yourself into suddenly crumble away without warning. It hurts badly. To the point where it can leave you wondering who you even are anymore.  The Apostle Paul could surely relate to a sudden life detour. He was a sold-out, faithful follower of Jesus, preaching and teaching the Good News throughout various regions. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Instead, he suffered many bouts of persecution and imprisonment for his actions (2 Corinthians 11:23-28).  Despite all that, though, he understood there was a greater reality and a higher purpose than what is immediately visible in the here and now. That’s why he tucked this important nugget of truth in a letter he wrote to the church in Colossae:  “For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).

Paul’s words challenge God’s people to be transformed by the love of Christ and remember the truth of who they really are. Sometimes, though, figuring out what that looks like can be hard, especially in seasons of struggle and uncertainty. But that day, amongst the shards of broken clay, it became startlingly clear for me.  You see, it was at that moment I noticed that while most of the sculpture had crumbled to dust, the face itself was unchanged. It had somehow remained intact through all the mishaps and was still fully identifiable as that of the artist. And that’s when I realized the sculpture hadn’t just been broken; it had been beautifully broken and made even more compelling than the original piece.  That’s the thing about brokenness it always leaves a mark behind. But when we choose to couple our own shattered remains with God’s goodness and grace, we, too, become beautifully broken, and that’s how the very best stories are told. Stories of hope those around us are desperate to hear stories we ourselves may need reminding of at times.  This is what I’m now reminded of when I read those words from Colossians 3.  Because of Christ, I am not my circumstance. Because of Christ, I have a much higher calling on my life than anything that could ever happen to me here on earth. Because of Christ, no matter where I find myself or how shattered I may feel, my real life the core of who I am will never change. I will always and forever be identified as God’s chosen daughter.  Therefore, because of Christ, when I feel stripped of who I am, I can choose to remember whose I am, and I will embrace this gift of being beautifully broken.

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When Your Heart Is a Muddy Mess
June 12, 2023
by Kelly Basham, COMPEL Training Member

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me … For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalm 51:10, 16-17 (ESV)

While scrolling through social media, I landed on a post that infuriated me. I know I shouldn’t have, but I read the comments.  Many of the responses were in retaliation to what this person shared in their post. My heart also yearned to leave a witty comeback. With my thumbs poised over my phone's keyboard, I tried to devise a reply to let this person know their post was wrong.  Several retorts came to mind, but I ultimately decided it was better to do nothing in my furious state, so I shut off my phone and tossed it on the couch.  Satisfied with my good behavior, I mentally patted myself on the back for my ability to exert such excellent self-control.  But as I went about my day, my thoughts tormented me.  Didn’t I do the right thing?

Isn’t God happy with my behavior?

Why don’t I have any peace about it?

Then God brought to my mind a familiar passage of Scripture: Psalm 51. Scholars suggest this psalm was written by David after Nathan the prophet confronted David regarding his sins against Bathsheba and his murder of her husband, Uriah (2 Samuel 11-12).  In his prayer, David said, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me … For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:10, 16-17).

David longed to be made right with God and understood that God wanted more than his empty sacrifices and burnt offerings; God wanted a sincerely repentant heart.  Doing the right thing is good in many ways, but it doesn’t change what’s in our hearts. Jesus tells us that sin starts in the heart (Matthew 15:18-19). If our sin isn’t dealt with at the core, it will grow out of control until it permeates our entire being, affecting our relationship with God.  Although I practiced self-control by not posting a comment, my heart was unrepentant. Outwardly I looked clean, but on the inside, my heart was a muddy mess that still oozed pride and fury. Despite my good behavior, I still needed to seek the Lord in true repentance.  Friends, we should always try to do the right thing but let’s not forget that God delights in hearts that are genuinely remorseful more than He delights in empty sacrifices of good behavior. Psalm 51:17 says, “a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

Admitting we are wrong is never easy, but as David explains, God doesn’t detest a repentant heart.  We can follow David’s example and bring ourselves to the Lord in wholehearted confession and repentance, without fear, for He is good to extend mercy and forgiveness to us just as He did to David.  Rather than presuming our good behavior is enough to make us right with God, let’s approach Him with a desire to be made clean and with a spirit that wants to be made right so we can enjoy our relationship with our heavenly Father.