Devotions

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Gray Areas of Motherhood: What To Do When There’s No Clear Right Answer
September 2, 2024
by Laura Wifler

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” James 1:5 (ESV)

We encounter a lot of decisions in motherhood that don’t seem to have a clear right or wrong answer. Those “gray areas” or everyday motherhood decisions not explicitly addressed in Scripture can easily trip us up, making us feel paralyzed and anxious.

Things like:
Should I enroll my child in this sport?
Where should I send my kid to school?
When do I give my child a phone?
Should I let them watch that show, listen to this music, or hang out with that friend?

Thankfully, God’s Word still gives us guidance and advice so we can employ biblical wisdom in these gray areas. Following biblical wisdom means applying what we know about God and His Word to the situation we have in front of us, and it’s a skill that we can learn with His help. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

Asking God for wisdom is our first step when faced with a gray-area decision. In addition, here are three helpful questions for seeking wisdom in unclear situations:

1. Is the cost to me and my family worth it?

Though the idea of cost automatically makes us think of money, this is not the only way to quantify cost. Activities, lifestyles and material items can also cost us time and attention. We should thoughtfully count the cost of our choices in the context of prayer and God's Word, also consulting our spouse if we’re married and our Christian community (where appropriate). Then if we do move forward and say “yes,” we can do so with our eyes wide open to the challenges and risks, ready to try to mitigate them with God’s leadership and help (Luke 14:28).

2. Does this align with my family’s mission?

Every family has a unique and God-given mission. Before we spend time or money on something, we can each stop to consider how it fits into our mission as a woman, a wife and/or a mom as well as the mission of our family unit. Sometimes we see others doing things that look interesting or amazing, and we adopt those goals for ourselves, only to realize later that those things don’t fit the calling God has given us (Ephesians 4:1).

3. How permanent is this decision?

Some decisions are easy to change, some come with a higher level of commitment, and others can be nearly permanent. We don’t need to live in fear of making a big decision. But if possible, we can assess the permanency of the decision and align that with the amount of time, care, consideration and attention we give it as we move forward.

As we learn to negotiate the gray areas of life using gospel-inspired wisdom, we can walk in freedom, able to live for God’s glory without fear, guilt or shame.

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If You're Walking a Road That's Still Really Hard
September 9, 2024
by Lysa TerKeurst, President and Chief Visionary Officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Recently, a sweet gal sent me a message on Instagram. She wanted me to know more about her story.  She thought she’d been obedient to God for the past decade after an immense heartbreak, but she was questioning that now because her life was still really hard. She wanted to know if I would be so positive and confident in trusting the Lord if I hadn’t met the man who is now my husband, Chaz.  Such a fair and understandable question.  Trusting God without seeing the redemption we thought we’d get to see by now can feel like the deepest betrayal of all. It’s also what builds our faith, but sometimes we’d rather have relief than another learning opportunity.  I sat with her question for a while. I don’t hang out in my DMs often and rarely get to respond as much as I would like to. But since I read this message, I knew I needed to respond. And I didn’t want my answer to gloss over her deep pain with a few cliché sentences and a Bible verse. She deserved more than that. And so do you, as you may find yourself navigating something similar.  This is what I wrote back:

I’ve spent many nights staring up into the sky, bewildered as I felt my disappointment turn from grief to numbness to distance from God. There were so many times when I thought God was about to turn everything around, but then things got worse. Some of my darkest days were when I couldn’t understand what God was allowing. And my fear was: Because God allowed all of this, what else might He allow?

Slowly, I’ve realized I cannot attach my hope to God making things feel fair. And I certainly can’t attach my hope to my desired outcomes. I have to attach my hope to who God is. He’s good and faithful, a Father who loves me.

God’s character, which never changes, is His promise to me and you. We can stand with assurance on who He is even when we don’t understand what He does or doesn’t do. There are still hurtful things happening surrounding my divorce too. I wish this wasn’t the case for either of us.

I’m grateful God has brought into my life a man who loves Jesus, and I'm grateful for all the joy that comes along with being in a healthy relationship. But even this gift comes with fears and uncertainties. So my challenge now is not to tie my hope of a better future to this new man. It’s the same lesson I was learning during the many years of feeling so very alone. I now have different challenges, but I'm still learning to trust God just like when my friends found new love while I was intensely lonely. It’s so hard.

I understand, and I so wish I could look into your future and whisper back to you all the wonderful things ahead of you. While I can’t do that, I can promise God is at work. Hang on, beautiful friend.

I wanted to make more concrete promises to her about what God is working on. I would have loved to give her a time frame to help ease her angst. I would love to make that possible for all of us. But I guess through my journey, I’ve come to terms with the truth that if it were good for us to have such specific information about our future, God would surely give it to us. So the fact that He isn’t allowing us access to those details lets me know having that information isn't best.  I don’t always want to leave room for this mystery of God. I’m not usually eager to claim verses like Hebrews 11:1 as my favorite: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

I want faith to operate within my eyesight. I am desperate for visible evidence so that faith doesn’t feel so risky. But faith doesn’t work that way.  Faith will always make us anxious and unsure — unless we are confident in the goodness of God. If we stand firm on His goodness and know everything He allows is somehow flowing from that goodness, then we will have a lot less fear in trusting Him. Faith in God means being assured of His goodness even when what He allows doesn’t feel good, seem good or look good right now.  Today, I hope you feel a little less alone as you walk through your hard situations. Like the sweet friend who sent me a message, we all have what-if questions. But I’ve found the best way to fight through our toughest questions is to create space for more of God’s perspective.

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Embracing Interruptions
September 18, 2024
by Gretchen Saffles

"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed." Mark 1:35 (ESV)

Some days feel like a continuous string of interruptions. From the moment my feet hit the floor in the morning, I pingpong from diaper changes to unexpected deadlines to snack cleanup to requests that upend my entire daily agenda.  When productivity feels impossible and interruptions multiply, I remind myself of how Jesus handled distractions.  Jesus didn’t turn little children away; He welcomed them into His arms (Mark 10:13-16). He didn’t scold the bleeding woman who touched the hem of His garment while He was on His way to Jairus’ home; instead, He healed her (Luke 8:40-48). Jesus is the ultimate example of how to handle interruptions with grace and purpose.  In Mark 1:35, we see a glimpse into Jesus’ relationship with God the Father while Jesus was on earth: “Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”

The quiet never lasted, though, because right after this, Jesus faced the same thing you and I face: interruptions. “And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, ‘Everyone is looking for you’” (Mark 1:36-37, ESV).

Jesus didn’t rebuke Simon for interrupting His solitude. He didn’t snap at His disciples or complain about how they interrupted His quiet time. He said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out” (Mark 1:38, ESV).

Jesus responded with patience, grace and purpose. He tended to their needs and reminded them of His mission and theirs.  This morning, I woke up before anyone else in the house to read God’s Word. After pouring my coffee, I grabbed my Bible and sat down on our well-worn couch. Like clockwork, I heard a thump, a door opening, and a little voice at the top of the stairs whispering, “I want to come snuggle.”

My children have a sixth sense for when I need time alone or time with God. In these moments, I’m reminded of the grace of Jesus.  Perhaps sometimes the distractions we face when reading God’s Word are His whispers to us to slow down, to remember that we need Him. Maybe the child who calls for us when we’re working, or the friend who asks to chat when we’re heading somewhere, is His ministry for us today.  When seen through the eyes of Christ, interruptions aren’t delays or intrusions at all. Interruptions are opportunities to live out the Word and follow in the footsteps of our King.

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What We Don’t Trust, We Will Try To Control
September 19, 2024
by Lysa TerKeurst, President and Chief Visionary Officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the command center aboard a ship. Toward the end of the tour, the captain asked if I would like to sit in his seat. As I sat down, I couldn’t help but be amazed at all the skill and expertise necessary to safely run this vessel.  My friends took several pictures of me looking like I was in control. But it was an illusion. I didn’t have the knowledge or the experience to do anything helpful unless the captain instructed me.  Can you imagine if I’d asked the captain, who was fully capable and fully equipped, to entrust his ship into my fully incapable hands?

I can verify, without hesitation, that me being in control of that ship would have been a risk no one wanted to take. It may have felt good to sit at the controls for a few minutes, but if I wanted to return home safely, I had to trust the captain.  In life, there are dangers only the ultimate Captain knows how to handle.  Trying to carry the weight of holding everything and everybody together is a role God never called us to play. And it’s taking a great toll on our peace.  Now, I want to slow down for a minute and acknowledge how tough it is to release control because honestly our motivation isn’t just that we want to be in charge but that we want to be safe.  Sometimes I catch myself mentally running into the future, where I fear there is impending doom, and then trying to make choices today to steer away from trouble. Sometimes this is wise. But while it’s good to plan for the future, we don’t want to obsess over the future. We can control our choices today, but we cannot fully control the outcomes of tomorrow.  I don’t like that last sentence any more than you do.  But as I’ve been on a trust journey over the last couple of months, I’m learning how to acknowledge what may or may not happen in the future while choosing to live in today.

This is what I can control: making wise choices right now, knowing God is a good Captain.
This is what I can’t control: all that happens in the tomorrows to come. Jesus reminds us of this truth in Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

The only way I have found to stop myself from reaching for control is to recognize when I’m getting controlling. And in that moment of realization, I need to pause and begin surrendering to God what I can’t change:

1.  God, I’m surrendering this unexpected turn of events. Instead of panicking and missing Your provision, I’m going to look for Your provision that is here.

2.  God, I’m surrendering this tension with my friend. Instead of rushing to make judgments against her or myself, I’m going to let the Jesus in me talk to the Jesus in her through prayer before addressing this issue.

3.  God, I’m surrendering how sad I feel today. Instead of trying to numb out in unhealthy ways, I’m going to worship, listen to Your Truth, look for Your presence in nature, or process this with people who are biblically wise.

These prayers are my way of acknowledging that God leads and I follow. Now, please note that I used the word “surrendering,” which indicates I’m still in the process of doing this. I have in no way perfected this but I am willing to practice it, and I hope you’ll join me.  God already knows how flawed our efforts will be, but any time we keep our hearts bent toward Him rather than pull away from Him, that’s good progress.

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While We Wait on God’s Promises
October 3, 2024
by Lysa TerKeurst
President and Chief Visionary Officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries

“Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust …” Psalm 40:4 (ESV)

Are there deep disappointments in your life that seem to be lingering? Do you feel like you’ve prayed the same prayers with little to no change?

I understand how hard that is. And although the circumstances of your life may be different from mine, we all have our middle-of-the-night moments wrestling through tears.  Some memories still hurt. Realities that make you wonder if you’ll ever feel normal again. Sufferings that seem forever long. And you’re disappointed that today you aren’t living the promises of God you’ve begged would come to pass.  In your most private moments, you want to scream at the unfairness of it all. But then there are more hopeful moments when you want to turn up the praise music, lift honest prayers, and declare God is good even when the situation doesn’t seem good.  Hurting but still trusting that’s the human journey.  And that’s where we find David in Psalm 40. In the first 10 verses, David praised God for delivering him, but in verses 11-17, he cried out for God to deliver him again.  Trusting doesn’t mean we ignore reality. It means we acknowledge reality in the very same breath that we acknowledge God’s sovereignty His absolute ability and power to work as He sees best.  Our trust can’t be tied to whether or not a circumstance or another person changes. Our trust must be tied to the unchanging promises of God. We hope for the good we know God will ultimately bring from our situation, whether the good matches our desires or not. And sometimes that takes a while. The process often requires us to be persevering and patient.  Honestly, I know that can feel a little overwhelming. I want the promise of Psalm 40:4 “blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust” but I forget this kind of trust in God is often forged in the crucible of long-suffering.

God isn’t picking on me. God is picking me to personally live out His promises.  It’s a high honor. But it doesn’t always feel that way. I’ve got to walk through the low places of the process before I’m perfectly equipped to live the promise. We read about this in Psalm 40:1-3:  “I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD” (ESV).

The idea of waiting patiently is incredibly important in this psalm. The Hebrew word for “waited” in verse 1 indicates it’s ongoing, and it holds a sense of eager expectancy and hope.  So while I want the solid rock on which to stand, first I have to wait patiently for the Lord to lift me out of the slime and mud and to “set my feet” (Psalm 40:2, ESV).

That word “set” in the original Hebrew is qum, which also means “arise or take a stand.” God has to take me through the process of getting unstuck from what’s been holding me captive before I can take a stand.  I also want that new song promised in Psalm 40:3. Did you notice, though, what comes before it?

Many cries to the Lord for help. The most powerful praise songs are often guttural cries of pain that have turned into beautiful melodies.  I know this is hard. So let me be the one to lean in and whisper these words to you as we begin to wrestle through this journey together: God is working things out. He’s not far away. He is right here with us. Even if our prayers aren’t answered in the way and the timing we want. Even when this process feels messy. We can trust that God is good.

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Moving From "I Had Hoped" to "I Have Hope"
October 11, 2024
by Sarah Freymuth

“but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.” Luke 24:21a (NIV)

I had hoped …  It’s a familiar phrase I’ve gotten used to repeating in this season of my life.

I had hoped my intrusive thoughts would disappear completely by now.
I had hoped my energy would be fully back to normal.
I had hoped my faith would not be threatened by panic attacks.

Can you relate?

Perhaps for you it sounds more like:

I had hoped I’d get better from this long-lasting illness.
I had hoped I’d be married by now.
I had hoped the family conflict would resolve.

I know a few disciples of Jesus who understood this too.  Days after Jesus’ crucifixion, sandaled feet kicked up dust on the road to Emmaus as two disciples walked there from Jerusalem, hearts heavy with disappointment. They were mourning the man they had hoped was the promised Messiah. They talked to each other in disbelief about the latest news: Some women went to the tomb but didn’t find His body.  When the resurrected Jesus Himself joined them, they did not recognize Him! He listened to them recall the last few days’ happenings, then unfolded the Scriptures before them, but still they could not see Him for who He was.  What was confounding them so?

What was holding their hearts back from understanding?

Their hope was in the past tense. They “had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21a, emphasis added).

But then the risen Jesus revealed Himself to them through conversation and breaking bread, and the men were amazed, revived by hope fanning their faith back into flame:  “They said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?’” (Luke 24:32, ESV).

Jesus showed He is the One who redeems, just not how everyone thought He would. Thankfully, when Jesus adjusts our eyes and hearts to see the purpose He brings and who He really is, things change.  What might we be missing, even as we walk with Jesus, if we don’t adjust our ears to hear or our eyes to see Him fully? What might be holding us back from understanding?

Jesus came to give us an eternal perspective. We cannot see all the ways God is at work, but even this invites deeper intimacy with Him. Jesus will handle what we cannot see in the ways He knows are best for us.  Let’s shift our perspective to present-tense hope in our Savior. We can be certain His heart toward us is good. The fleeting hopes of this world are nothing in comparison to the sure and eternal hope we have in Jesus.

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The One Who Helps Us When We’re Afraid
October 17, 2024
by Lysa TerKeurst, President and Chief Visionary Officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries

“But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.’” Matthew 1:20 (NIV)

Doesn’t it feel like sometimes you can’t think straight when you’re afraid?

Imagine being Joseph when he found out Mary was pregnant. He knew the child wasn’t his. His mind must have fired off all kinds of assumptions and dreadful scenarios that could have caused this situation.  His response?

He made plans to divorce Mary in secret (Matthew 1:19). Joseph fell asleep with his decision weighing heavily on him then God sent an angel to intervene.  “.... An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit'” (Matthew 1:20).

God had an assignment for Joseph and Mary: to bring forth the child and name Him Jesus (Matthew 1:21). And the enemy’s tactic to mess up that plan could have included shame, anger, division, confusion ...  But the angel of the Lord saw what was really keeping Joseph from staying in alignment with God’s plan: fear.  Make no mistake the enemy wanted Joseph to be afraid. The enemy wants us to be afraid too. Not the healthy kind of fear that keeps us safe and alert but the horrible kind of fear that whispers worst-case scenarios absent of hope and full of defeat. The kind of fear that keeps us tossing and turning all night because of situations we can’t control, people we can’t change and outcomes that feel uncertain. Fear says, Entertain my entanglements. Linger in my lies. Drink deeply from my darkness. While we’re distracted with fear, the enemy pickpockets our purpose. Cripples our courage. Dismantles our dreams. And blinds us to the beauty of the Lord’s great plans.  On the surface, God's assignments for you may not seem like Joseph’s at all. But they’re incredibly similar. As a child of God, you, like Mary and Joseph, are to bring forth Jesus. Not in a physical sense but you are to bring forth and proclaim the name of Jesus in everything you say and do, even when you’re afraid.  Proclaiming the name of Jesus brings power, protection and perspective that crushes fear. It is the name above every other name (Philippians 2:9). Joseph might have gone to bed afraid, but in his dream he heard the name of Jesus for the first time, and he woke up empowered to obey God’s plan.  Wow. The name of Jesus released Joseph from chains of fear. And I believe God wants us to experience the same right now.

    Is a relationship with unresolved conflict troubling you? Call on the name of Jesus.

    Is a financial situation paralyzing you with anxiety? Call on the name of Jesus.

    Is there a frustration you’re still thinking about from earlier today? Call on the name of Jesus.

    Is there a parenting conversation you’re dreading? Call on the name of Jesus.

    Is there a medical diagnosis you didn’t see coming? Call on the name of Jesus.

    Is there a friend who asked you to pray for them, but you have no idea what to say? Call on the name of Jesus.

Calling on Jesus can be our first response instead of what we do when nothing else seems to be working. It may look like surrendering our “why” questions and choosing instead to ask, Will You help me see You, Lord?

Even in this?

He is the One who can illuminate the dark places for us. He alone brings us peace in the midst of our unanswered questions. He is Immanuel, God with us. To whisper His name is to call on the power found only in His presence.  Oh, friend, some of the most impactful prayers I’ve ever prayed are ones where I simply say the name of Jesus over and over again. Today, call upon His perfect name. You can know with confidence that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1, NIV).

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But I’m Scared To Get Hurt Again
October 29, 2024
by Lysa TerKeurst, President and Chief Visionary Officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

When life gets hard, we may feel justified if our hearts also get hard and the lens through which we see the world becomes tainted by past hurts.  When this happens, we may stop believing the best can still happen in our circumstances. We may stop believing the best about people and resist trusting them again. We may carry the wrong that one person did to us into other relationships and become overly guarded and overly suspicious that history will repeat itself.  Because we’re scared to get hurt again, we may easily start assuming other people will hurt us, assigning them wrong intentions they don’t have. But, friend, if we were sitting together over coffee today, I would reach for your hand and encourage you with this: When life gets hard, let your heart stay soft. Let your thoughts stay true.  Don’t fill in the gaps with worst-case scenarios. Don’t assume what others are thinking. You can listen to your discernment: If something feels off or untrue, ask questions, verify answers, and realize sometimes people aren’t honest. But at the same time, remember many people are honest, true and real.  The world is full of good-hearted people. People who want the best for you. People who cling to the Truth of God’s Word and encourage you with the wisdom-filled words from it.  The Bible is also clear that we need the support of biblical community, like Hebrews 10:24-25 says: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

I’ve found that when trust has been broken in a relationship, trust issues can only be worked on in the context of relationship. That doesn’t mean we must return to a hurtful relationship to work on trust. (If returning is possible, then that’s great. However, sometimes that may not be possible or safe.) But what it does mean is we can’t isolate ourselves and work on repairing trust alone.  There are still good people in the world. Not perfect people. But people worth trusting, who live the gospel message in the most real and beautiful ways. Find those people. Do life with those people. Embrace the gift of those people.  And if you’re looking for those people, I’d personally love to invite you to join me and Circle 31 Book Club in reading my new book, I Want to Trust You, but I Don’t, starting in just a few days on November 1. Together, we’ll gather as a community of women who are nowhere near perfect but desire to build relationships and safe connections (and have fun, of course!). For now, pray with me and find out more details about Circle 31 Book Club below.

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Rest in Gratitude
October 30, 2024
by Becky Shannon

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV)

Do you ever find yourself wishing for life to slow down, only to feel like you’re trapped in a cycle of living from one chaotic season to another while feeling pressured to add even more things to your calendar?

If so, you are not alone! As a wife and a mother of five, I have often felt this way.  Not very long ago, all seven members of our family came down with mycoplasma pneumonia. It was one of the hardest seasons I’ve gone through. Two of our daughters were hospitalized for a combined total of a week, my husband used up all his vacation days, and I was so tired that my pneumonia returned even worse for a second time. All I wanted was to rest and to see my family get better so we didn’t miss our summer.  Something the Lord taught me through that experience was that looking at life through a lens of gratitude helps me rest in Him, refocus, and not get caught up in the discontentment of my circumstances. It was so easy to wish things were calmer, less stressful and less tiring, but God supplied what I needed, and there were so many blessings to thank Him for along the way.  The enemy wants us anxious, distracted and afraid of missing out. Sometimes we can become so consumed and discontented with life that we end up completely missing out on the most important thing of all our relationship with Jesus.  Practicing gratitude can remind us of how much we truly have, even when our physical measurements tell us we’re lacking. As God’s children, through Jesus, we have an inheritance that is not from this world (Ephesians 1:11-14). Spiritually, we are rich beyond what we can fathom and blessed beyond measure. God has set us up with every single thing we will ever need to thrive (Philippians 4:19). All we have to do is ask and receive.  If you’re currently feeling stuck in a busy season of anxiety and chaos, I want you to know that there is a never-ending supply of what you need: peace, rest, contentment, joy, hope and love!  Life may not slow down or wait for us, but we are not alone. In the chaos, the stressful situations, and the demands of everyday life, Jesus is right there waiting in the midst, offering us a personal invitation to enter into rest and contentment at His feet!

[Pip]

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You Are Not Alone
October 31, 2024
by Lysa TerKeurst, President and Chief Visionary Officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries

“Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.” Proverbs 27:9 (ESV)

Sometimes it can be hard to make friends. It takes time to form deep connections and build the kind of trust where a friendship feels safe and stable.  If you’re struggling because of a move or a recent friendship breakup, or maybe your life circumstances have changed and created a disconnect with those you used to have more in common with, those struggles are real. I understand how that feels.  Feeling left out and lonely isn’t something that’s reserved only for playground games and middle school dances. I’ve still felt that same sense of loneliness even as an adult.  No matter how you feel today, I want you to let this truth, God’s Truth, surround you in a symphony of compassion and comfort: You are not alone.  You may feel lonely, but you don’t have to live lonely.  So what can you do?

 You can refuse to isolate. It can be tempting to look at others on social media, laughing, connecting and cheering one another on, and make assumptions. It’s easy to assume they don’t struggle with loneliness. It’s easy to assume you don’t fit in or belong. It’s easy to assume the world just seems to be moving on without you.  But all those assumptions will exhaust you and tempt you to isolate even more. Isolation is never a cure for your longing for real connection. I believe the most powerful cure for loneliness can be found in togetherness. Togetherness reminds us we are all so very human, united in our struggles, our laughter, our tears, our need for Jesus, and our tender care for one another.  So I have a challenge for you today.  Do you have a friend in your life who speaks Truth?

Listen to her. Stay connected to her. Let her lead you back to God time and time again. Because just like the breaking of bread sustains our physical bodies, breaking secrecy with trusted friends nourishes the deep places in our souls as we open up our hearts. I love what Proverbs 27:9 says: “Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.”

Togetherness is such a beautiful thing. I pray today God gives you an opportunity to pursue togetherness with safe people because chances are you’ll be a blessing to them in their lonely feelings as well.

[Pip]

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Launching Into the Deep
November 6, 2024
by Jenni Lord

“... unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3 (ESV)

Relaxing by our community pool, I noticed a little girl about 8 years old climbing on her daddy’s shoulders to launch off into the deep. They’d been doing this for a few minutes in my periphery, but I felt a stirring as I stopped to take in the details.  Three other children were jostling about, trying to get their turn. She paid them no attention. Her gaze was focused on her dad. From my vantage point, I saw zero hesitation and detected no fear. Pure delight radiated from her face at the special opportunity.  She clearly trusted her dad. She knew how to swim. And she’d done this before. She was unfazed by others crowding around.  Dad held her feet until she was steady, and then she launched with her whole body, fully committed. I wondered if part of her confidence came from knowing he was within reach. His gaze was upon her as she landed with a big splash before he turned to the next waiting child.  In an instant, the scene challenged me to my core.  I’d been facing a new launch of my own with trepidation.  For the majority of my career, I’d been focused on one area, using familiar skills. But the Lord was calling me into a space to learn a new craft. Acquiring fresh skills demands the sacrifice of time, energy and other ventures. The prospect was uncomfortable and, frankly, daunting.  My launch had stalled.  Maybe you can relate.  When we believe God is calling us onto a new path, it can be fraught with obstacles some of our own making.  Yet as Jesus says in our key verse, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).

Maybe I’ve hesitated to climb up on the sure shoulders of a good Father who can launch me into the deep. He knows I can swim. This isn’t my first jump. We’ve done this together before. Just like the dad in the pool, He’ll hold my hands as I climb up, and He won’t let go of my feet before I’m ready. I sense His invitation to stop wading in the shallow, to instead climb up and go.  When we venture into the deep, we can know God’s eye is upon us. Like that little girl, we can climb and jump. Fear can be replaced with joyful anticipation of what lies ahead for us.  Isn’t that the way of His story?