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Daily Devotion

4/28/2017

Good morning ladies. Whew, April flew right by. The next time I send out a devotion it will be May. I'm hoping to see some warmer temperatures again as we had snow when we woke up yesterday. And it's been bone-chilling! Brrrr. Today it already looks sunny, so that makes a difference for sure. So, any special weekend plans? There is an apologetics seminar at church this weekend and that should be good. Otherwise, packing and watching baseball.

The encouragement from today's devotion comes from our key verse, but also from an 8-year-old girl. If you're feeling in the middle of a mess in your life today, know that God is not finished with you. Have a Fabulous Friday and a great weekend ladies!

“If It’s Not Fabulous, God’s Not Finished”

Proverbs 31 Ministries
Alicia Bruxvoort

“… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 (NIV)

“I’m gonna make something fabulous,” my daughter, Maggie, announced one rainy morning before heading to the basement in search of crafting supplies.

I peered over the pile of laundry I was folding and flashed my 8-year-old an encouraging smile. “Okay. I’ll be down to check on you soon.”

Later, when I walked down the stairs, I found my creative one sitting in the middle of an unruly mess. I couldn’t spy anything fabulous, but I could clearly see the giant jumble of paint splats and glue puddles, tape wads and paper scraps that framed my daughter’s workspace.

I sighed at the sight of the mayhem and assumed my daughter’s fabulous plans were falling short. I bent low to pick up a handful of plastic beads that were scattered across the floor like brightly colored dewdrops. Then, I tapped Maggie’s shoulder and asked, “How’s it going?”

I figured my girl would voice her discouragement and ask for help in cleaning up the disaster at hand. But, much to my surprise, she turned to me with a sparkle in her eyes and a streak of orange paint in her hair and declared, “It’s going great! I’m making a masterpiece.”

The wary raise of my eyebrows must have broadcast my doubt, because my daughter set down her paint brush and calmly held my gaze. She swept her hand across the daunting disarray and murmured these words of assurance: “Don’t worry, Mom. It’s not fabulous, ’cause I’m not finished.”

I let my daughter’s confident words echo through my mind, and suddenly, a lump of unexpected tears rose soundless in my throat. How many times has God whispered the same sentiment to my discouraged soul? “Don’t worry, daughter. It’s not fabulous, ‘cause I’m not finished.”

When my dreams lay in shreds or my best plans come unraveled, when my loved ones suffer or my heart aches heavy … could it be I’m not staring at a faulty finish but merely eyeing a messy middle? When our circumstances look more woeful than wonderful, might God still be at work?

The Bible declares God will make all things beautiful in their time (Ecclesiastes 3:11) and that He is working all things for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28). But when life gets messy and hard, it’s easy to doubt these promises for ourselves.

However, I learned something about hope that day my daughter began her fabulous project. When I turned to leave Maggie in the middle of her mess, I heard her humming a happy tune while she worked. And suddenly, I realized what made her sing: Where I see pandemonium, my little artist spies possibility. Where I spy havoc, she sees hope.

And so it is with God. God views every mess as a masterpiece in the making.

When our faithful Father looks at our lives, He does not see the bedlam that is, but the beauty that will be. And like a little artist I know, our patient Maker will not stop mid-design or call it quits in the chaos. According to our key verse, He will finish the good work He’s started. God won’t give up until it’s glorious.

So next time it looks like the Lord’s best plans are falling short, let’s fix our eyes on our Maker instead of our mayhem. Let’s cling to His promises and stand firm on His faithfulness.

And, according to 8-year-old wisdom, if we’re struggling to see God’s handiwork in the havoc, we can rest assured of this: If it isn’t fabulous, God isn’t finished.

Dear God, please give me faith to trust You even when life feels messy. Give me eyes to see glimpses of the fabulous work You are doing in me and in the world around me. I want to stand on Your promises, not fall prey to fear and doubt. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Psalm 138:8, “The Eternal will finish what He started in me. Your faithful love, O Eternal One, lasts forever; do not give up on what Your hands have made.” (VOICE)

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Daily Devotion

4/27/2017

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Good morning ladies! It's good to be back home and settling into my routine again. We had a great time with Nate and Natalie and the baby shower was beautiful. They are certainly blessed by their church family and so many other friends and family who sent cards and gifts. And their nursery is filling up with everything they're going to need. It was fun to watch my son admiring a tiny pair of baby booties. We can't wait to meet our sweet, little guy...only about five more weeks now! Natalie is doing very well and looking beautiful. On Monday morning, we headed to Sioux Falls for the District Conference. I was able to make it to a couple events, the main thing was the Great Commission Women's luncheon. Always a great time! I even got a seat at the head table this year! I really don't know how that happened but I was happy with it. I sat next to the speaker, who is an International Worker in Paris, France. She gave a memorable, encouraging message about 'seasons' in our lives. As we chatted at the table, I figured out that she knows Casey (who doesn't?!) They are the IWR's (International Workers in Residence) at Crown College this year, and Casey talked with them about going to France after he graduates and working alongside them for a season. Not sure about his plans yet, but we know God will guide him.

I appreciate the practical and powerful ideas in today's devotion about how to experience God more intimately and to discern His will and His Word in our daily lives. She includes a 5-day tool that we can use and I've already decided that I'm going to try it. How about you? Let me know what you think. Have a Thankful Thursday ladies!

“God, I Want to See You”

Proverbs 31 Ministries
Lysa TerKeurst

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

Before I went to Israel for the first time a few years ago, my Bible reading felt a bit thin. I was going through the motions of meeting with God but felt disconnected. What was once so invigorating felt more like another thing on my endlessly long to-do list.

You know, when a person lives with the stress of an overwhelmed schedule, they’ll ache with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul.

That ache of sadness was draining the life out of me and my desire to do ministry.

And then a friend called to invite me to study in Israel. My friend knew this trip would change me. There isn’t anything else that’s invigorated my passion for ministry like studying in the Holy Land and really experiencing God’s Word up close.

Now, I know you’re thinking … That’s great for you, Lysa. But what if I never make it to the Holy Land? Can I still have that invigorating encounter with Scripture?

I believe you can by inviting the presence of God into your everyday. To help us with this, I’ve broken down one of my favorite prayers into a five-day prayer guide. It’s a tool we can use to help us start experiencing Him in very real ways each and every day.

Day 1

Prayer: Dear God, I want to see You.

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

Thought: Remember a pure heart doesn’t mean a perfect person. If your pure intention is to see God, you will. While I can’t see the Lord’s physical form, I can see evidence of His activity all around me.

Activity: Ask God to open your eyes to the many things in your life that speak to His presence. Look for and record evidence of God around you. It’s amazing: The more we recognize even the smallest things as gifts from God, the more we start to realize how present He is in our lives.

Day 2 Prayer: Dear God, I want to hear You.

“He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed. The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears; I have not been rebellious.” (Isaiah 50:4b-5a, NIV)

Thought: While I’ve never heard God’s audible voice, I do feel Him speaking to me. The best way I’ve found to start hearing the Lord’s whispers in my heart is by getting into His Word and letting His Word get into me. The more Scripture I memorize, the more clearly I hear Him.

Activity: Ask God to help you wake in the morning so you can read the Bible first thing. Before checking texts, social media, and email … tune into God’s life-giving truths.

Day 3 Prayer: Dear God, I want to know You.

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” (Ephesians 1:17, NIV)

Thought: I love the words, “I keep asking.” Persistence and consistency are key in our walk with the Lord. Ask the Lord to give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so you may know Him better. Make knowing Him the focal point of every prayer today … more than anything else you are asking for right now.

Activity: Write this verse on a card and carry it with you. Make a point to pray this verse out loud often throughout the day. When you pray the Word of God, you pray the Will of God.

Day 4 Prayer: Dear God, I want to follow hard after You.

“Teach me your way, LORD; that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Psalm 86:11, NIV)

Thought: Is there something dividing your heart and distracting you from seeing, hearing and knowing God more? Ask God to reveal one distraction you could distance yourself from today to more fully embrace an awareness of Him.

Activity: Spend a day fasting from your distraction. Each time you think of what you’ve given up, use that as a trigger to pray Psalm 86:11.

Day 5 Prayer: Dear Jesus, I say yes before I even know what Your request will be today.

“Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” (Philippians 2:4-5, NLT)

Thought: The more we know God, the more we want to say yes to Him. The more we say yes to Him, the more we realize there are divine opportunities to participate in His activity all around us.

Activity: Today let’s be others-focused. Let’s ask God for opportunities to honor Him by looking to the interest of others. Let other people in line ahead of us. Let the conversations be about the other person. Make our focus giving rather than receiving.

I love you, friends. And I believe with all my heart God isn’t trying to hide from us. He’s waiting to be seen by us.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Mark 4:9, “Then Jesus said, ‘Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.’” (NIV)

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Daily Devotion

4/18/2017

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Good morning ladies. I am a great aunt!! My older sister's daughter Abby had a baby boy last night, just before midnight. His name is Spencer Andrew and all are doing well. Karen is a first-time grandma and my mom is a first-time great-grandma. She said he is 8 lbs, 3 oz., 20 inches long, and has dark hair. Can't wait to see pictures--hopefully later today. Thank You LORD for this safe arrival!

Not too much going on here today...more packing and then over to our friends' house for dinner. How about you? Any plans on this rainy, spring day? Are any of you "spring cleaning?"

Do you consider yourself a "mighty warrior?" I certainly don't! But in today's devotion, we are encouraged that God uses each one of us to accomplish great things for His glory. Amen! Have a Terrific Tuesday!

“God’s Mighty Warrior”

“When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, ‘The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.’”
Judges 6:12 (NIV)

I remember being a new mom and finding great solace in the bathroom. Some days I wanted to hide in there for long stretches of time from my energetic toddler. My son Ethan loved to turn off the light in the bathroom and shut the door. He would giggle from the other side.

I didn’t care about being in the dark. I was just happy to be left alone for a moment. I didn’t feel at all like a mighty warrior. I felt more like a nobody hiding out.

This is how I imagine Gideon’s disposition was in Judges 6. During this time, the Midianites had overpowered and dominated Israel for seven years. The Israelites hid out in mountains, caves and forts. Like an invasion of locusts, the enemy came in and took over. They destroyed Israel’s crops and devastated the country. In desperation, the people of Israel cried out to God for help.

Perhaps something has overwhelmed you in your life. Maybe you relate to Gideon’s situation like this …

The crying children overpowered the mothers. Because of their whiny, unhappy little ones, the mothers made hideouts wherever they could find them — the bathroom, local coffee shop or hidden in the laundry room. The children wreaked havoc in the kitchen and family room. Their toys were like an invasion of locusts. The mothers, reduced to wearing sweats and cutting up food all day, cried out to God for help.

We can all take heart, because in the midst of Gideon’s hopelessness, God shows up in a big way. While Gideon was hiding in a winepress, threshing wheat, the angel of the Lord appears. This was not just any angel. This is understood to be an Old Testament appearance of God Himself declaring:

“The LORD is with you, mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12b).

“Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” (Judges 6:14b, NIV)

Gideon may have looked behind him to see if the angel of the Lord was addressing someone else. After all, he was hardly qualified to save Israel, coming from the weakest clan in Manasseh and being the least in his family (verse 15). Yet apparently to God, Gideon was a mighty warrior.

I believe God sees mighty warriors in each of us too. Imagine going about your daily work, making dinner, paying bills or sorting laundry and God appears to you saying, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” This would undoubtedly change your life.

It doesn’t matter how you were raised as a child, whether you’re rich or poor, God makes victors out of the ordinary and overlooked. God seems to delight in working powerfully through unexpected “warriors” such as Gideon, Rahab and Ruth. Don’t let your past determine your present or your circumstances dictate your worth. God is the giver of new life.

Notice God appeared to Gideon in private. Wheat was normally threshed in open spaces, typically on a hilltop so the breeze could blow away the chaff. But fearful of the Midianites, Gideon worked hidden away in a sunken winepress.

God can meet you in the privacy of your home when you’re tending to your family members, thinking no one notices your efforts. You might be caring for a toddler, teenager or aging parent. Or you may be at your job, doing your daily work when God shows up to speak to you. Gideon was a simple man living a normal life, but as he fulfilled his everyday duties, God showed up to do the miraculous.

Gideon was teachable because he listened to what the angel of the Lord said. He rose to the daunting occasion of delivering the Israelites. He didn’t do it perfectly, but God’s strength is perfected in weakness, isn’t it?

So when you look in the bathroom mirror today, what will you see? Even if you’re hiding in there, you can choose to see a mighty warrior for God.

Lord God, sometimes I wonder how I will accomplish the tasks at hand. I have felt overwhelmed and underqualified. Yet I know You are with me, and that makes all the difference in the world. May I experience Your power in my life today. Make me into a mighty warrior for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
Arlene Pellicane

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Judges 8:28, “Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. During Gideon’s lifetime, the land had peace forty years.” (NIV)

2 Peter 1:3, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (NIV)

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Daily Devotion

4/11/2017

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Good morning ladies. We woke up to just a dusting of snow this morning. And it's chilly! I think we will rebound though, because it's supposed to get into the mid-fifties today. I told PK yesterday that it was time to bring our boots in from the hall and he said that as soon as I do that it would snow. Well, sure enough! But....it's spring! Anything can happen. Well, I had a very productive day yesterday with sorting through things and packing. It was just me and Molly here for most of the day and evening so I just plugged away at it. It's definitely starting to look like someone's moving around here. Even though we downsized a LOT before we moved here a year ago, I'm still finding things to give away. I figure that if it's been in the cupboard/closet/drawer for this whole year and never been touched, it's time for it to go. So, on to more packing today. What do you have going on for this Terrific Tuesday?

I love this devotion today. Even though God loves the whole world, He still knows each of our names. What a great assurance! Have a wonderful day ladies.

“He Knows Your Name”

“‘Mary!’ Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, ‘Rabboni!’ (which is Hebrew for ‘Teacher’).”
John 20:16 (NLT)

After circling this issue for months, we found ourselves at a crossroads, and the decision fell to a family vote.

We gathered around the table and posed the question weighing on all of our minds, What should we name this baby boy?

Deep into my pregnancy with our fifth child, we struggled to find a name. My husband, Luke, and I narrowed the options down to three names but still needed help picking the name.

That’s when we called on the voices of the older siblings. One by one, they raised their hands to establish where they stood on the matter.

After everyone had their say, we ended up with a unanimous vote for the name Isaiah — well, almost unanimous. One brother voted for Jesus on a write-in ballot — but we went with the majority.

I love remembering the stories of how we named each of our kids. I still love saying their names. It’s so much more than a word to me. It’s a declaration of who they are and how much I love them. It’s a connection between their hearts and mine.

Our key verse records a moment in history when one woman heard her name. Oh, I’m sure she’d heard her name leave the lips of many people in her lifetime. But in the darkness of this morning, many centuries ago, I expect it sounded different than she’d ever heard it before.

This special morning, some women approached an empty tomb. The rolled-back stone surprised them. They mourned, afraid someone had taken their Lord to a place they didn’t know. “But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb” (John 20:11, ESV).

As the story unfolds, the tomb Mary once thought empty becomes suddenly consumed with the brilliance of two angels. She explained to them her sorrow, then turned to meet Jesus face to face, yet she did not even know it.

“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away’” (John 20:15, ESV).

I imagine her hysterical. Shoulders sobbing. Eyes clouded with sorrow. Words pouring from her broken heart. Pleading, begging, anything to find her Lord.

In a moment so raw, Jesus could have done anything. He could have opened up the heavens and called on a chorus of angels. He could have announced His triumphant victory over death in a booming voice. He could have made the earth beneath her feet shake.

But in the very first revelation of Himself — following the greatest victory in the history of the world — Jesus chose to speak to one woman, personally: “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned and said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher)” (John 20:16).

Sometimes, it’s easy to wonder what Easter has to do with our everyday reality. It can feel so big. Like God so loved the whole world kind of big. And God does love the whole world! So much that He sent Jesus to be our salvation.

But today I pray you hear Jesus calling your name. I pray you see Jesus looking into your eyes. And that you can recognize His voice, in the midst of a noisy world, just like this personal, intimate moment shared between the God of the Universe and His daughter.

Sometimes, God loves the whole world by loving one life at a time.

Maybe you’re like my daughter who, in the midst of all of the baby naming, questioned whether she’d still have the same name when she grew up. She worried she might not always be my child and wondered if the curve balls of life might strip her of the title of Annah, the daughter I named. The daughter I love so deeply.

I reassured her, “Yes! Annah will always be your name. And I will always be your mom. No matter where you go or how big you grow, that will never change.”

God knows your name — no matter how far you’ve traveled. God knows your name, and He’s calling it today.

Dear God, help me recognize Your voice this Easter. Empower me to experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully, so I can know with confidence when You speak to me personally. Make me complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
Katy McCown

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Isaiah 43:1, “But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.’” (NKJV)

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Daily Devotion

4/10/2017

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Good morning ladies. I hope you're doing well as we begin a new week. This is such a busy time of year, but it's also important to take time to reflect on the sacrifice that our Savior made for us as we enter into this Holy Week. Yesterday was such a wonderful time of worship and praise. The children came in waving their palm branches as the adults all shouted, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!" It was awesome! I'm sure that many of your churches had something similar, as I saw a few pictures yesterday afternoon. We also were blessed by our sister church, a Hmong congregation, who led worship. It was a sweet time in the presence of the LORD. And the message that PK brought touched my heart as he spoke on "A Heart Like Jesus." I looked at our devotion title today and it's a similar theme. Have a Marvelous Monday!

“Dear God, Give Me Your Heart”

“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes.’”
Luke 19:41-42 (NIV)

In a dimly lit hotel room, woman after woman went around the circle sharing prayer requests. The intimacy of a women’s retreat had softened all of our hearts to a tender vulnerability.

One woman shared about the healing her child desperately needed. Another confided her heartbreak over a rift in her family. Several others asked us to pray for them to be able to forgive someone.

Finally, we came to a woman with tears streaming down her face. “I need you to pray for me to stop crying,” she explained. “My heart is so broken for those around me who don’t know Jesus. I’m overcome. I can barely function through the sorrow.”

The room seemed to fade as my mind wandered to an event that happened thousands of years ago — Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem before the Passover.

The beginning of the story found in Luke 19 is joyful. Jesus had sent two disciples ahead to get a colt for Him, fulfilling yet one more prophecy of the Messiah found in the Old Testament book of Zechariah. As Jesus rode along, the people lined the roads spreading their cloaks before Him.

On what we now call Palm Sunday, the crowd of disciples cried out:

“‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

“‘Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’” (Luke 19:38, NIV)

Yet in the midst of it all, Jesus wasn’t basking in this extravagant praise. Instead, He was overcome with sorrow:

“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.’” (Luke 19:41-44, NIV)

Jesus was heartbroken, but not over the comparatively minor subjects that can dominate my emotions. His lament was over the fact that He was the long-awaited Savior, and the people had missed Him.

God had extended His hand of mercy and grace through Jesus, and the world turned away.

You and I live in the same kind of world today. It’s a world turning away from what Jesus offers — and what we so desperately need.

While He still extends peace, grace and forgiveness, sometimes I struggle to see my need for it. Or maybe somehow, I think I can earn goodness on my own. So I end up choosing sin over saving, self over a Savior. Jesus didn’t shed just a few tears over this rejection. The strong word “wept” expresses His deep grief for a lost world. I want more of that.

The woman’s soft crying brought me fully back into our prayer circle, and she repeated, “Please pray for me to stop crying.”

“I can’t,” I whispered. “Please pray for me to start crying. Pray for me to have a heart that’s tender and weeps over the lost like yours … and like Jesus’.”

This is the beginning of our Holy Week, just days from Easter, when we rejoice in Jesus’ resurrection and life. But before we rejoice, I want to pause for a moment to weep for this lost world, just as Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Let’s sob and mourn and wail. Let’s convert our grief into pleas to God for people to wake up and feel their need for an intimate relationship with a living God. He’s still in the business of bringing dead things to life.

Dear Jesus, I plead for You to give me Your grief over the people who have missed You and rejected You. This Easter, remind me just how much I need You. Help me see Your grace. Grant me that divine combination of sorrow and tenderness that points people to the cross and to new Life. Dear God, give me Your heart for my world, to see the desperate need for salvation we all have. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
Amy Carroll

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (NIV)

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Daily Devotion

4/7/2017

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Good morning. It's a Fantastic Friday! And such a beautiful spring morning! I love seeing the little spring flowers poking their way up through the earth. Ahhhh. Every year I see how God makes everything new.

It's so easy to let our feelings, emotions, and circumstances dictate our words and actions. This devotion is a call to rise above these and focus our minds on "things above." Have a great day and weekend ladies!

“The Year I Didn’t Want to Buy an Easter Dress”

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Colossians 3:2 (ESV)

Last year as Easter quickly approached, my daughter Kaitlyn asked me to take her dress shopping, which we’ve done every year since my daughters were little.

We spent hours looking until she finally found the perfect dress. As we were paying, she asked, “Hey Mom, aren’t you going to buy an Easter dress this year?”

I responded, saying, “I have lots of dresses. I don’t really need to spend money on a new one,” but my next sentence made my heart skip a beat: “Besides, I’m not that excited about Easter this year anyway.”

She shrugged with a faint smile and muttered, “Oh, okay,” with a little hug as we picked up our bags.

Driving home, tears trickled down my face. What kind of mother tells her child she isn’t excited about Easter? How could I say I wasn’t enthusiastic about the celebration of the resurrection of the Son of God? What kind of Christian says that?

I felt so ashamed for having those thoughts, much less speaking them aloud to my precious child. Mercy.

But I knew this Easter was going to be incredibly different and hard. It would be the first Easter Sunday in 26 years where my family wouldn’t attend church together. Instead of looking forward to the celebration for all the right reasons, I was secretly dreading it, knowing it would be difficult to get through the day.

Due to circumstances beyond my control, my husband and I had abruptly separated six months earlier. Holidays look different through the lens of a broken heart and a broken family, and I thought and felt differently about them too. Rather than focusing on the meaning of the resurrection, my thoughts centered around my earthly problems. Sometimes when life is heavy, our hearts and minds can get heavy, too.

That’s exactly why in today’s key verse (Colossians 3:2), Paul encourages us to set our minds on the things above — not the problems of this world. Because whatever we set our minds on determines our thoughts, drives our emotions, fuels our words and actions, and ultimately steers the direction of our faith. When our thoughts are sinking, our hearts will too.

However, if we intentionally fix our attention on “things that are above,” — what makes us joyful, hopeful and positive — like the resurrection of Jesus Christ, eternal life, hope found in our Savior and blessings of all kinds that make us smile, then our attitudes can stay uplifted, despite our circumstances.

God gave us free will to choose mind over matter or let the matters of life control our minds. The choice is ours, and that important choice will determine the direction of our faith and our ability to enjoy God’s joy and peace, even when our hearts are heavy. Unsinkable optimism, hope and faith hinge on where we choose to focus our thoughts, not on life’s circumstances.

This brief conversation with Kaitlyn was a wake-up call. I didn’t realize the toll my thoughts, heartache and emotions were having on my outlook, much less my faith walk, until the second I spoke those unfortunate words. Yes, life was hard in the moment. Things certainly hadn’t turned out the way I’d hoped. But hard things in life don’t have to harden my heart. I prayed all the way home from our shopping trip that day, asking God to restore my joy and peace, refocus my thoughts, and change my mind from the inside out.

We all experience hardships in life, but regardless of what we face, Jesus died on the cross for our sins, rose on the third day and ascended to sit at the right hand of our Father. He assures us a beautiful future in heaven with Him, even when life gets ugly. Those divine truths are reason enough to celebrate Easter with an overflowing heart of gratitude and praise. And certainly enough reason to buy a new dress.

Dear Lord, draw my thoughts upward toward You every minute of every day, but especially this Easter. Help me resist the temptation to focus on the painful things of this earthly life and learn to control my thoughts so they don’t sink my faith or joy in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
Tracie Miles

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Romans 12:2a, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” (NLT)

Romans 8:6, “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” (NIV)

Psalm 51:12, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.” (NASB)

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Daily Devotion

4/4/2017

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Good morning ladies. How are you on this Terrific Tuesday? The sun is peeking out a little bit after a few cloudy, rainy days. This is Spring and God is taking care of the earth with both rain and sunshine. I have a long "to do" list for today and I'm praying for the energy to get some of it done. Both PK and I have been feeling old lately. We've been getting up in the morning already feeling exhausted. We shouldn't be since we just got back from a vacation. I think it was just a change of scenery and activities more than a restful time though. I'm sure you've heard that saying, "I need a vacation from my vacation." But, here we are and there is a lot to do in the next month. A little at a time I suppose.

I really like this devotion today because it addresses Martha and shows the positive things that took place a little bit later in her life. She was a woman who followed her Lord. Have a great day ladies!

Proverbs 31 Ministries
Liz Curtis Higgs

“A Woman Who Dishes Out the Truth”

“‘Yes, Lord,’ she replied, ‘I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.’”
John 11:27 (NIV)

All my best friends are Marthas. They may be named Annie or Elizabeth, but they all share the gift of hospitality with a certain Martha in the Bible who opened her home to a bunch of ragtag disciples.

Over the centuries, Martha has gotten a bum rap for wanting her sister, Mary of Bethany, to stop sitting at the feet of Jesus and start serving the meal. “Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40, NIV) Martha demanded of their guest of honor.

Jesus was gentle with Martha, but firm. “You are worried and upset about many things” (Luke 10:41, NIV), the Lord told her, discerning the real problem — Martha thought her efforts were of greater significance than Mary’s. Those of us who are talkers and doers often discount others who are listeners and thinkers.

The good news is, Martha learned from Mary’s example, and most of all, from their Master Teacher.

The next time Jesus came to Bethany — summoned by both sisters on behalf of their dying brother, Lazarus — Martha leaped to her feet and ran out to greet Him. “‘Lord,’ Martha said to Jesus, ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died’” (John 11:21, NIV).

Wait. Was she scolding Jesus? Was she saying this never would have happened if He’d returned sooner? We’ve seen bold Martha in action before, quick to speak her mind. Was she disappointed or frustrated or confused?

Her next words give us the answer: None of the above. “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask” (John 11:22, NIV). Instead of being fueled with anger, Martha was filled with faith, certain of the Lord’s ability to restore her brother to life. When she said, “God will,” that shows how trust is talking, not doubt or fear.

Jesus pushed her faith to the next level in telling her “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25b, NIV) Then He made a mind-boggling, eternity-spanning promise that “whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” (John 11:26a, NIV)

But won’t our bodies eventually wear out? Won’t the usual procession of flowers and sympathy cards and memorial services follow in the wake of our passing? Yes, but our souls, the eternal part of us, will live forever because of Jesus.

Finally, He asked Martha the Big Question, the one we all must answer: “Do you believe this?” (John 11:26b, NIV)

This means all of it: Who He is, and why He came and what that means for us.

Martha’s response was swift and sure, a courageous expression of faith and our key verse today: “‘Yes, Lord,’ she replied, ‘I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world’” (John 11:27).

Go, Martha! When Jesus said, “I am,” she affirmed, “You are.” Her “I believe” confession is remarkable because she stated His title, His divine nature and His calling. Neither Peter nor John made this bold proclamation that day in Bethany. But a woman did. God’s woman.

Martha’s faith was now as solid and unshakable as her sister Mary’s. She who served the food also dished out the truth: “It is for Your coming that the world has waited” (John 11:27, AMPC).

What Martha did is something you and I can do as well: Profess our faith. Proclaim His truth. Promote His kingdom. This isn’t a one-hour-a-week Jesus we’re dealing with. Someone we sing praises to on Sunday morning, but forget about on Sunday afternoon. Jesus expects and deserves nothing less than our total commitment.

We don’t all need to be dazzling hostesses or confident cooks, just women who throw open the doors of our hearts and make Him welcome.

Lord, teach us how to be as faith-filled as Martha, and trust Your promises, no matter how impossible they seem. Remind us that with You all things are possible, including Your resurrection and ours. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Romans 6:5, “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (NIV)

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