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Searching for A New Morning Devotional? Win My Favorite Here!

Yep, I gotcha covered!

That is if you’re not into full-on fluffy, feel-good words that drip thicker than syrup but leave the soul empty, hungry inside. Give me Truth in a relatable way and God will do the rest.

Because it matters, right? Devotionals are an investment. Not only do they cost money (unless you win this copy!), they also become a companion of sorts. It’s why pages that start clean with crisp edges can end with tear-smudged words, spilled coffee, and cornered edges. In my copy of Awaken: 90 Days with the God Who Speaks by Priscilla Shirer, you’ll find them all.

 

I didn’t read a devotional, I went on a journey.

 

And as a result, God taught me the beauty of biblical community, bruising a few toes, and severing one in the process. He also revealed through His Word and those He gave her, what real freedom looks like, how to listen for His voice, and how to fan the flame into a frenzy for God’s glory.

But y’all, the words He chose and placed on Priscilla’s heart to share in recent days have especially awakened my spirit to His presence through both encouragement and conviction.

 

These words are for you and me, and anyone longing to draw closer to the One who draws us near:

 

  • “No act of service is too small. The little piece you do matters. Every piece matters. They’re like ripples of water circling outward from a skipped rock. Everything you do creates an impact somewhere else you cannot see, but it’s a part of the big picture that God is putting together.”
  • “Compassion is willing to be inconvenienced. Compassion compels.”
  • “In-between times are necessary. They are the bridge between what He has done for you and what He’s preparing to do in your future.”
  • “He wants us to see our weakness mixing with His strength, causing our work to actually…work.”
  • “When our hearts are full of gratitude and humility, certain of God’s love, and when we genuinely prize the worth of those around us, we will release a steady stream of graciousness that refreshes others through everything we say.”

 

And then there was Day 64:

“Your God can be trusted. He will grant you the full supply you need to excel at His purposes today, no matter how varied or prodigious those tasks may be. Every decision you need to make, every task you need to accomplish, every relationship you need to navigate, every element of daily life you need to traverse, God has already perfectly matched it up with an equivalent-to-overflowing supply of His grace.

…because of His extravagant grace you will never lack, you’ll be more willing and able to give freely of yourself and your resources, certain that God will always replenish your supply.”

I read this on a day when my heart skipped that extra beat it seems to have⏤a day when, before opening the book to this page, I was frazzled, not sure how to arrange the to-dos.

My mouth fell open and almost flooded from the tears rolling down my cheek as I read her words…twice.

“God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 CSB

 

This is our God! He is personal and He is present, whether we feel it or not.

 

“A better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:19 CSB

Did one of the above quotes speak to you today? Please share! You’ll encourage others and also have a chance to win a copy on Friday.

 

*If you don’t want to wait to grab a copy, Amazon has temporarily reduced the price of Awaken: 90 Days with the God Who Speaks. By purchasing the book through the orange link, I will receive enough money to put toward a cup of coffee at no extra expense to you. For more information on my affiliate statement, please see the sidebar. Thanks!

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Thank you for stopping by! I hope you’ll decide to stay awhile. If you’d like to become a part of the community, simply type your e-address in the top right-hand sidebar. >>>>

Bi-weekly posts offer a pause of goodness to your busy days, and once a month, you’ll also receive a fun but pithy newsletter with the latest happenings in the Tiny House on the Hill, practical ideas for drawing nearer to God and loving others well.

So, come on over and sit a spell. I’d love to get to know you!

Photo by Nienke Broeksema on Unsplash

While You Wait Outside Hospital Doors for a Loved One

It’s a helpless feeling, isn’t it?

Leaving loved ones on the stoop of hospital doors, entrusting healthcare workers to fill in the gaps we want to fill but can’t.

Lives lost, dream weddings postponed, jobs eliminated, and the inability to enter health facilities with loved ones being admitted, are just some of the situations we find ourselves in these days.

Several weeks ago, my stepmom took dad to the ER for a high fever. Saying goodbye at the stiffly guarded steel doors only to return alone to her car and wait was one of her hardest moments.

 

“The worst part of life is waiting. The best part of life is having someone worth the wait.”

 

When Jessica Brumley penned these words, she wasn’t referring to the same kind of wait, but the words still ring true, don’t they?

Choosing to see blessings beyond our circumstances is an act of faith.

Recently, I started creating sensory-based pauses (mini-devotions) for my subscribers to enjoy while in specific spaces. One month is it was the garden. Last month, a picnic. For each of the five senses, I offered a simple prompt to help push the pause button and focus on the goodness of God that stretches far beyond a steering wheel.

 

The simple act of focusing on God turns an upside-down world right-side up.

 

Today, “A Pause While You Wait” (including an inspirational page to color) is my gift to you. Feel free to share this post with your circle of friends because sometimes we don’t know we’ll need it until we do.

 

“You will keep the mind that is dependent upon you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you.” Isaiah 26:3

 

To download your copy of A Pause While You Wait, simply click here. The coloring page is included.

 

 

 

 

Is there some way I can pray for you today?

 

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Thank you for stopping by! I hope you’ll decide to stay awhile. If you’d like to become a part of the community, simply type your e-address in the righthand sidebar. >>>>

Bi-weekly posts offer a pause of goodness to your busy days, and once a month, you’ll also receive a fun but pithy newsletter with the latest happenings in the Tiny House on the Hill, practical ideas for drawing nearer to God and loving others well.

So, come on over and sit a spell. I’d love to get to know you!

© Can Stock Photo / scottshoots

Thankfulness: Write it Down

Today, let’s focus on Thanksgiving! We’ll turn our attention to Christmas on Monday. 

Thankfulness: Write it down. 

So, what better opportunity to write someone who has left an indelible impression on your life? Be as specific as possible when sharing why you’re thankful for them. Tell them how they made you feel or how God used them to draw you closer to Him. An email will do, but nothing trumps a handwritten note for the personal touch.

Another way to share the gift of thankfulness in the written form is to give thought as to why you’re thankful for those who will be seated around your Thanksgiving table. Purchase white place cards or make them yourself (very easy!) On the front, write the person’s name. Inside, begin with “Why I’m thankful for you” and then share one reason you’re thankful for them. Take turns reading the cards around the table, inviting others to share why they’re also thankful for each person.

One last idea is to begin, if you haven’t already, a gratitude journal. A great place to start is by reading Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts. I’m currently enjoying the devotional that goes along with the book. Inside, there’s space to jot down our own 1,000 gifts of gratitude. 

Simple but oh so meaningful. 

“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you
a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having
the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope
to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious
inheritance in the saints…”  Ephesians 1:16-18

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