Blog Archives

Daily Devotion

7/28/2015

Coffee for Your Heart
Holley Gerth
Guest Blogger: "The Pearl of Great Price"

"Different Kind of Teacher"

Being a grandparent is the best. You have all the benefits and none of the disadvantages. It's also funny how you get a different perspective of those very short people, called grandchildren than you had of your children.

We share a home with our grandchildren so we get to have them visit more often than if we lived across the country. They are able to stop in any time they want to. Like most grandparents we want to shower them with love and treats. We have a jar of treats for the oldest granddaughter that are her favorite and another jar of treats for the youngest granddaughter that are her favorite. They must ask before they can have a treat. [since we are just a staircase away it could be dinner time or bedtime and well, candy just isn't always such a great idea.]

I have noticed how when they come to visit they will say "Hi, Nana and Fafa [our chosen names from them] how are you today?" We try to get them to share how they are that day and the very next question is "May I have a piece of candy?" Usually the answer is yes. Then they take the candy say thank you and are gone.

This got me to thinking about how I come to God. Do I say "Good morning Father, I thank you for a new day. I have this problem. . . . or I would like you to . . . . or I need . . . Wow! This has made me rethink how I come to God and what I say. Do I just tell him all the problems I am having? Do I just ask him for blessings? Then leave for the day with not another thought of Him?

As a grandparent or a parent I would rather spend time hearing about the day hearing what is happening in their lives. Or to just have a conversation where we share our hearts. Those are the best days.

We call God our Father and rightly so. As a Father he must long to have that conversation with us and to hear our hearts, our thankful hearts. Psalm 94:1-2 says"

"It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your Name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night.

How often do we forget to be so thankful and praise God for his love, and his faithfulness. Do we just jump right in there and ask? He longs to be a part of our lives, just like a grandparent long to be a small part of that grandchild's life. I think I will not just ask for the "candy" any more but instead share my heart. Maybe, just maybe I will just thank Him and say that's all I have today no requests just a thankful heart.

Oh, those grand kids are such great teachers!

Daily Devotion

7/27/2015

Proverbs 31 Ministries
Whitney Capps

"How Long Until Naptime?"

"Relent, LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."
Psalm 90:13-14 (NIV)

A wise friend told me once that in parenting the days are long, but the years are short. At the time I had three little boys at home, ages 5, 4 and 2. I was in the midst of long days. I woke up to the sound of little people; it was a steady soundtrack throughout my day:

"Mommy, I need …"

"Mommy, can we …"

"Mommy, he just …"

I had a soundtrack playing in my head, too: "How long, Oh Lord? How long until naptime?"

It’s a paraphrase of Moses’ words from today’s key passage from Psalm 90. Moses was pleading with the Lord for relief. He was pleading with the Lord for rest.

That’s a prayer we parents know all too well.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Moses gives us valuable insight for how to punctuate these desperate, quiet groanings: "Satisfy us in the morning."

Satisfaction from the Lord is not just what I want, it’s what I need. Because, let’s be real, not much is going to change in my day-to-day activities.

Feeding kids. Running errands. Wiping faces and bottoms. Checking homework. Driving carpool. Scrubbing toilets. In the midst of all of that (and your list looks similar, right?) we need the Lord to satisfy us, feed us and make us full before life empties us.

Moses knew about the Lord’s daily satisfaction. Each morning, the Israelites would arise and gather enough manna for the day. They were fed, filled and satisfied each morning by the Lord’s supernatural provision of food in their desert wanderings.

They were not permitted to gather extra. They couldn’t store it up for the next day. The Israelites were given just enough for the day in front of them. God’s satisfaction was immediate and effective, but just for today’s demands. Tomorrow would have fresh bread for the gathering.

We read in Deuteronomy 8:3b how Moses told the Israelites that the real message of the manna was that they were not satisfied by the bread but "on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD" (NIV).

Moses, a man who knew a thing or two about dealing with demanding, whiny, difficult people, knew that the Word of the Lord would give him hope for the day’s struggles. God’s Word would give him patience as he waited. God’s Word would help him worship. God’s Word would turn his eyes from his day’s circumstances and fix them instead on the character of his Lord.

It’s an ambitious prayer. It’s a prayer that believes God’s Word is powerful — and every bit as powerful as the God who breathed it. I believe it’s that powerful. Do you?

It’s okay if you’re not sure. It’s okay if you’ve never really experienced its power. But can I ask you to try again? God’s Word has really, truly changed my days.

Sometimes it’s overwhelming to know where to start. I understand. I used to kind of do the "flip and dip" approach to reading my Bible. You know, flip it open and dip in, hoping something sticks. For me, that was terribly inconsistent and frustrating.

What worked was reading a small portion of the Bible every day. Like the Israelites received the Lord’s satisfying care every day, that’s just what I needed, too.

I didn’t need to read chapters and chapters to sustain me for the week. I just needed my daily portion.

And just like the Lord was faithful to the Israelites, He is faithful today to all who turn to Him. Amazingly, God’s Word sustains me through each day so I can make one more sandwich, drive to one more practice and read one more bedtime story … with a smile.

Oh Lord, I feel like I run on empty. I need to be filled, but sometimes I try to fill myself with rest, television, social media or food. Nothing fills and prepares me for today’s demands like Your Word. Help me feast daily on the bread You have provided in Your Word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Nehemiah 9:20-21, "You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen." (NIV)

Proverbs 30:8, "Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread." (NIV)

Daily Devotion

7/22/2015

Proverbs 31 Ministries
Amy Carroll

"My Relationship with My Stuff"

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
John 13:34-35 (NIV)

This morning I stood in my closet and considered all the multiples — multiple shoes, multiple scarves and multiple purses. Too much stuff!

How have I gotten to this place again with a collection of more than I need? The most honest answer is that I use my things to define myself. I think my "perfect" purse makes me seem more perfect. I believe my cool shoes transfer their vibe to my persona. I hope my trendy scarf affirms my relevance.

It’s time to clean out! Not only do I not need so much, but years ago I learned a memorable lesson about the soul-cleansing power of simplifying. I learned it while visiting a humble, cinder-block house in the mountains of Ecuador.

Early on a Sunday morning, the Proverbs 31 Ministries Team and our local hosts loaded into buses that drove us out of the large capital city of Quito, into the gorgeous countryside and up the mountains.

As the bus rounded a corner on the twisting mountain road, a stucco church with a red-tiled roof came into view. Our group clambered down the steps and walked toward the church flanked on either side by two rows of stunning, dark-haired, dark-eyed children clad in heavily embroidered clothing. Once their shyness melted away, these darling children climbed onto our laps and held our hands throughout the entire worship service.

When the sermon ended, our team split into pairs to visit with the children in their homes. Our guides explained that their beautiful faces might cause us to overlook the harsh reality of their lives. So, with groceries in hand for the families, we set out to visit their homes and see their true living conditions.

One of the mothers, Dolores, greeted us and invited us into her home to meet her family. Her husband, a builder working in Quito, wasn’t there that day, but evidently they had a loving relationship when he was home … he and Dolores had filled their tiny space with seven children!

The home was tidy, but the floors were bare dirt and plastic sheeting served as a ceiling. There was running water and electricity but no appliances in the kitchen. The only sign of food was a small stack of maize in the corner. In the bedroom, we saw two beds for the whole family, and though we knew the mountain nights and winters to be cold, I didn’t see a furnace or any indication that the house was heated. Even so, it was obvious that Dolores was proud of her well-built home and of the hours her faithful husband had spent building it for their family. She glowed as she described the care and craftsmanship he invested for them.

As we prepared to leave, my team partner asked Dolores a pivotal question: "Dolores," she began. "How can we pray for you and your family? What is your greatest need?"

While we waited for the interpreter, I took a mental assessment of Dolores’ many needs. But my mouth hung open as I listened to her response: "My greatest need is to be able to teach my children about Jesus so they will follow the Lord all the days of their lives." Tears filled my eyes as my heart absorbed the lesson this Ecuadorian woman in humble circumstances taught me.

Dolores’ prayer request revealed that her deepest desire isn’t for the perfect house or the signature outfit. She values relationships — with God and others — more than material things.

That experience impressed this truth upon my heart: God created us for connecting, not collecting.

As I clean out my closet, I want to value the same thing Dolores values. I vow to hold my "stuff" loosely and be defined by the closeness of my relationships.

Lord, forgive me for my defining relationship with stuff. I want to be defined by You and my love for others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Philippians 2:3, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." (NIV)

Daily Devotion

7/21/2015

Coffee for Your Heart
Holley Gerth

"There's Always Hope When Jesus is Writing Your Story"

Most of us know the story. The two famous biblical sisters, Mary and Martha, have a brother Lazarus who becomes sick. They send for Jesus but He doesn't arrive for two more days. And by that time, Lazarus has died. It seems it's time for "The End" to be written on the final page.

But as a quote by Gracie Allen hanging on my Mama's refrigerator says,
"Never place a period where God has placed a comma."

We all have a Lazarus in our lives. A dream that seems to have gasped its last breath. A hope that's lifeless and still. A relationship that seems beyond resurrection.

Jesus understands the pain of those places. As Joanna Weaver says in
Lazarus Awakening:

"Where have you laid him?" Jesus asks Martha and Mary through His tears
(John 11:34)....

Where have you laid your pain? Jesus asks us tenderly. Where do you keep all your shattered hopes and dreams? Where have you laid the part of you that died when you were abandoned, forgotten, betrayed? Where are you entombed and enslaved, hemmed in, shut down, and closed off?

Come and see, Lord. That's the only response we need to give.

Come and see.

Because when Jesus shows up you can be sure the show isn't over. After He weeps with His friends by the tomb, He calls Lazarus to come forth. And suddenly the period placed by humanity becomes an exclamation point inserted by divinity.

We serve a God of life. Of resurrection. What He does may not look exactly like what happened with Lazarus. And, yes, sometimes our exclamation point may be added on the other side of eternity. But you can be sure that death will not ultimately win in any situation in your life.

"Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Cor. 15:54).

And until then, we have the same hope that Mary and Martha did even if it felt delayed: Jesus is coming. He knows your hurt and He cries with you. He has not forgotten. He will not abandon you in your time of need.

The Author of Life is asking, "Where have you laid your Lazarus?" and He will tenderly, powerfully transform your story in ways beyond what you've imagined.

XOXO

Holley Gerth

Daily Devotion

7/17/2015

Proverbs 31 Ministries
Julie Gillies

"Why I Stopped Praying Against Fear"

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."
2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)

Hi. My name is Julie. And for entirely too long my middle name might as well have been Fear.

Fear influenced many of my decisions. Fear amplified my imagination in a bad way — I was the worst-case scenario queen. Fear even tried to prevent me from moving forward in obedience to what I sensed God calling me to do.

So I did what any wise believer would do. I prayed. For years, I diligently prayed against fear. That God would take away my fear. That fear would leave me alone. That fear would vanish. That fear would be far from me.

Eventually I realized those prayers would probably require me to live in a bubble, limit my interactions with people, never attempt anything that could be considered risky and quite possibly never leave my house.

Ahem …

But the truth is, until Christ’s return, fear will always exist on this earth. We live in a scary world where bad things happen. One look at the news headlines makes that clear.

John 10:10 tells us that the enemy "comes only to steal and kill and destroy" (ESV). One of the primary ways he does this is through fear. The enemy’s intent is to keep our eyes riveted on our fears and stop us from trusting God. Stop us from making wise decisions. Stop us from believing things can change. Stop us from pursuing the seemingly impossible dreams in our hearts.

It soon became clear to me that there must be a better way to pray. That praying against fear wasn’t enough, because fear still held far too much influence over me. And if God had not given me a spirit of fear, as our key verse declares, I wanted to sense a difference. I wanted to be brave and strong on the inside so fear could no longer shake me.

So my prayers changed. Drastically. Instead of just praying against fear, I began to use God’s Word and pray for specific things. God-inspired things. Like courage and confidence and amazing peace.

Though we might not always be fearless, by praying specifically for qualities found in God’s Word, we can fear less. If you’re battling fear on any level or in any area of your life, I’d like to invite you to do the same.

Instead of praying that fear will be far from us, we can ask God to give us strong, bold and courageous hearts (Joshua 1:9) when fear comes near.

Instead of asking God to take away all fear, we can ask for His grace to run toward the big, scary things with great courage (1 Samuel 17:48).

Instead of praying that fear will leave us alone, we can pray that when we are afraid we will trust and have confidence in God (Psalm 56:3).

Instead of asking God to make all fear in our lives vanish, we can pray that His peace which surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and supersede all fear (see Philippians 4:6-7).

Praying this way changes us. It has changed me. I no longer make decisions based on fear. I recognize worst-case scenarios forming and instead of entertaining them I nip them in the bud. And I am moving forward in obedience to the things God has called me to do.

God doesn’t promise to always take away all our fears. Yet He gives us the power, love and self-discipline necessary to embrace His life-changing truth. When we pray His living and active Word something amazing happens — God strengthens our hearts. He helps us trust Him, girds us with His amazing peace and enables us to move forward in courage.

And we will fear less.

Hi. My name is Julie. And my middle name is Brave.

Dear God, Help me not be paralyzed by my fears, but when I am afraid, help me trust in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Psalm 34:4, "I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears." (NLT)

1 John 4:18, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (NIV)

Daily Devotion

7/16/2015

Coffee for Your Heart
Holley Gerth

"Why You don't have to be Loud to Roar"

It's not about how we're speaking but instead Who is speaking through us.

“You’re so quiet.”

I’ve heard that phrase as long as I can remember. In school from teachers. At get-togethers with friends. Even from my own family at times. It’s not spoken as a compliment. At best, it’s a concern.

And I’ll confess at times it has made me wonder, “Should I force myself to be louder?” But I’m not quiet because I’m holding back. I’m quiet because that’s the way God made me.

The other day on a run I was listening to a song with the lyrics, “I am a champion, and you’re gonna hear me roar louder, louder than a lion.” And I had this thought: I don’t have to be loud to roar because I have a Lion living inside of me {Rev. 5:5}. When I speak on His behalf, even if it’s softly, He roars…and the enemy trembles.

We don’t have to shout to make ourselves heard.

We don’t have to raise our voices to get attention.

We don’t have to dominate conversations to add value.

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
{1 Kings 19:11-12}

If God has given you a big, loud voice then appreciate it and use it with care. And if He has given you a quiet, small one know it can be just as powerful. It’s not about how we’re speaking but instead Who is speaking through us.

So let’s bravely be who God made us to be because that’s when He roars the loudest.

Even if we’re quiet.

XOXO

Holley Gerth

Daily Devotion

7/15/2015

Proverbs 31 Ministries
Karen Ehman

"How We Answer Our Own Prayers"

"Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’"
Luke 11:1 (ESV)

A group of teenagers and I sat cross-legged on the church lawn, soaking in the warm summer sunshine. We’d just taken a break from a group game to sip something cold and visit. One of the girls had just returned from a mission trip in a developing nation and I couldn’t wait to hear about her experience.

"So, Renee, tell us about your trip." I inquired. "What is the one thing you think you will remember the most?"

I imagined her answer would have something to do with a child who captured her heart with a sweet smile. Or a church service she attended that was so very different from ours. Neither of these guesses were right.

"Oh, that’s easy. I will always remember it was on this trip when I learned how easy it is in our culture to answer our own prayers."

Her statement stunned me for a moment. I wondered, What in the world did she mean by that? Answer our own prayers? Only God answers prayer, right? But before I could pipe up and ask her to explain further, she continued.

"You see, here in America, we bow our heads and say grace and ask God to ‘give us this day our daily bread.’ And then? We hop in our cars, run down to the grocery store and buy a loaf or two. We ask Him to keep us safe and warm. Then parents buy their kids the best car seats available, and we crank up the furnace whenever we feel chilly. It is so easy in our culture to provide the answer to our own prayers. But the people I met on the trip? They pray God will give them their daily bread, not knowing if they will have enough food to feed their families that night. Their prayers are bold. They ask God for things they can’t always provide for themselves."

I had never thought of this concept before and it caused me to think about two things.

First, I want to use my abundance to help answer someone else’s prayers. To share the privilege I have been given with others.

Second, I need to learn to pray bold prayers, asking God for the things that only He can bring about. That is if they are in accordance with His will. To pray for requests in my life beyond the, "Lord, keep us safe and warm and well-fed. Amen." routine we can often fall into.

Today’s key verse from Luke 11 gives me hope that I’m not alone in thinking my prayer life could use a makeover. Luke 11:1 reminds us that even the disciples wanted help learning how to pray. They saw Jesus praying and desired to follow His example.

Ephesians 3:20-21 tells us God can do things we can’t even dream of. Even provide answers to questions that we often hesitate to even ask. This suggests we can be daring when we pray, asking God for great things done only in His great strength.

My little chat with this spiritually sensitive teen changed me. I began to work into my prayers not only requests that God would help me be attentive to those who need my help, but also that He would help me make bold requests I can’t possibly answer myself. And then, that I would stand back and — in faith — watch Him work.

How about you? Is your prayer list full of items you can cross off yourself? Perhaps it’s time you, too, began to ask, "Lord, teach me to pray."

Father, teach me to pray more boldly. May I be both generous in giving and faith-filled in my prayers. Help me pray more confident prayers that can’t be answered on my own and can only happen through Your power. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Psalm 138:3, "In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul." (NKJV)

Luke 11: 9-10, "And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." (NLT)

Daily Devotion

7/14/2015

Coffee for Your Heart

"When You Wonder If They’ll Like You"
Holley Gerth

{my graphics are free goodies for you}

I look at the four lovely faces around me and my tummy does a nervous little flutter. I met these women when I spoke to a crowd of over 6,000 at the Premier National Rally. After finding out some of the ladies who attended actually live in my town I asked them, “Why don’t we meet up for real life coffee?”

I ran late on the way to our get together. I let my hair blow dry by leaving the windows in my car down. I tried to order a breakfast sandwich and was told, “Um, it’s eleven.” {I wanted to reply, “I promise I’ve been up for awhile, I just like eggs” but I didn’t have the guts.}

Then I sat down at the table, straightened my jewelry and fidgeted a bit. Eventually I decided I’d better just come out with it so I took a deep breath and confessed: “I’m afraid you won’t like me as much close up.”

You see, it’s easy to look good from a distance. Especially when you’ve had a chance to write out every word you’re going to say. And someone has kindly and beautifully accessorized you. And the lights are pretty and the decorations are fabulous and it’s all so wonderfully in place for you. What if I disappointed these women when they met just plain ‘ol me?

Of course my fears were unfounded. Everyone was gracious and kind and funny and lovely and didn’t mind my wind blown hair or messy heart. Whew.

As I drove home I thought about how the worry I expressed is one we all seem to share as women in one way or another. We all feel more comfortable with a little distance between ourselves and those around us because we’re afraid we won’t be loved if we’re seen close up.

We might create that distance by saying “I’m fine” when we feel broken inside, holding on to our couch like it’s a life boat every evening, working too much, drinking too much, anything that will make it feel like we can avoid others seeing us as we really are.

But that’s not how we’re made to live, friends. We need to walk off the stage, walk out the door, walk across the room and spill what’s really going on in our lives. We need people who can see our faces without make-up and our souls without scripts and our lives without the polish and practice.

Yes, there is a time for putting our “best” forward. But there are days for inviting people into our worst as well. And most of all, there are moments for sharing everything that’s in between. In other words, plain ‘ol lovely, ordinary, extraordinary YOU.

Let’s be brave together, girls. Let’s love and be loved. From near. From far. From wherever we are. Because we’re always better together.

XOXO

Holley Gerth

p.s. This post has been on my heart because I just got back from speaking at Premier Designs Rally again. Here are some fun pics from my time there this year! Turn on your speakers when you watch the slideshow. {Subscribers, if you can’t see the pics, click here.}

Daily Devotion

7/13/2015

Proverbs 31 Ministries
Glynnis Whitwer

{Editor’s Note: We’re doing things a bit differently this week at Encouragement for Today. We’ve decided to dedicate this entire week of devotions to prayer. Will you join us in praying "big" prayers, according to His Word, believing nothing is too hard for God?}

"There Are No 'Big' Prayer Requests"

"I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?"
Jeremiah 32:27 (NIV)

Eyes closed and head bowed, I rattled off my daily prayer requests: "Lord, please keep my children safe … watch over my mother … help my husband with all he’s got to do." Then I paused and said, "Now I’ve got a big one."

My next prayer was going to be for a friend battling advanced cancer. God certainly knew what I planned to say, and He knew we needed a miracle. So I’m not sure why I decided to prepare Him for what was coming.

His answer was clear and immediate: "There are no big requests to Me."

Instantly, I was contrite. "Of course not, Lord. What was I thinking?" Some heart-searching was in order, because I’m not actually sure what I was thinking.

I quickly realized my tendency to categorize and order my prayer requests, with most of them seeming "manageable." I do pray about serious requests when needed, but I don’t often seek out "big" prayers.

Maybe I subconsciously think I only get a few of them with God … kind of like making sure you don’t overload someone with too many favors. Perhaps it’s because I’m not a natural risk taker. Keeping my prayers "easy" seems safer in my mind.

Looking back, I can see I put human limitations on God. But how silly to compare God to a person, when He is incomparable in power.

The God of the Universe made everything we see, and everything we can’t, with a word. From the simplest cell to the intricacy of our brains, He designed and created it all. There are no limitations to His power. He can (and does!) send angels to protect my children and restore health to my friend’s body at the same time.

No matter how hopeless the situation seems, God is more than able to step in and do what no human can do.

In Chapter 32 of Jeremiah, where we get today’s key verse, we read how God made a promise that seemed impossible from human standards. Jeremiah prophesied about impending calamity for the rebellious Israelites. The people were about to experience devastation from an enemy as a consequence for their great disobedience. Yet God’s intention was to bring His people back one day to Jerusalem with a softened heart, to live in safety.

On the surface, that promise seemed inconceivable. And yet God reminded Jeremiah that nothing was too hard for Him: "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27).

Centuries later, an angel told a young virgin named Mary (newly pregnant with Jesus), "For with God nothing will be impossible" (Luke 1:37, NKJV).

Thousands of years later, God said the same thing … to me.

Why do I compare God’s power to mine? Why do I worry about "bothering" Him with too many "big" requests? Why do I accept so many situations and never even think about praying for them to change?

Truth is, I’m much more comfortable praying for things that could be solved in my power. There’s an underlying fear God might say "No," or worse, stay silent.

Plus, I’m afraid I’ll misuse my invitation to pray or seem demanding. The last thing I want is to treat God like a genie in a bottle. Those complicated fears limit my prayers for God’s help in many impossible situations.

Oh how that must grieve the heart of my Heavenly Father. He knows how much more He wants to do in my life, if only I’ll invite Him.

Here’s the truth: When I build my faith on what I can do, then I will only see what I can do. But a faith based on what God can do? … now that’s life-changing.

That’s how I want to live my life. I want my prayers and faith to go beyond human power. I want to bring everything to my Heavenly Father, every care, every need. Not with a demanding heart, but with one with positive expectation.

It’s not my responsibility how God decides to answer. But that shouldn’t keep me from asking.

I’m tired of playing it safe. It’s time to cast off my fears, remove the limitations I’ve placed on God, and invite Him into every situation I face — especially those that seem hopeless. It’s then I’ll see God’s power, not mine.

Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your power and majesty. Forgive me for the times I’ve shut You out of my life or not asked for Your help. I want to be a woman whose trust in You is so great that I don’t think twice about praying for things that need Your supernatural intervention. Thank You for all You’ve done and will do! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

John 15:7, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." (NIV)

Luke 18:1, "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up." (NIV)

Daily Devotion

7/10/2015

Proverbs 31 Ministries
Lynn Cowell

"Who Am I Becoming?"

"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"
Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

Dragging my feet and my heart, I headed to her room, finding her buried in her schoolbooks. She was responsible; I hadn’t been.

Welling up with tears, I began my apology. Seems like I’d been doing that a lot lately. This time I had failed to order my daughter’s graduation announcements.

What kind of mom am I?

My girl smiles as I blubber my confession. She reassures me: this is not an emergency. Tilting her head, she looks at me as if I’m from another planet. Not because I forgot, but because I’m crying. Who is this woman? I imagine her asking in her thoughts.

I know she must wonder about me these days.

Lately, I haven’t been recognizing myself either. The normally organized, rational, on-task woman can’t seem to keep it all together.

Maybe the forgetting isn’t so unintentional. Could this be my heart’s way of trying to put off the inevitable?

On my desk sits the form, the one I’ve procrastinated completing, requiring me to admit her age. She’s an adult now. How did that happen? My mind wonders, Will she still need me? Who am I now? What is my place? Change is hard.

I’m guessing that like me, you’ve either just come out of a season of change, are entering a season of change or it’s just on the horizon. It might not be your youngest graduating from high school. You might be returning to school, making a move or looking for a new job.

Change has a way of swirling in and around our lives. Just when we adjust, like a squirming toddler, life refuses to stay still. We finally think we’ve gotten control, when chaos erupts again. One activity stops while two are added. And whether we like the new that’s come, or wish we could run and hide, our feelings don’t change the inevitable.

Facing another change, and handling it well, requires a woman of character. Change requires traits I feel like I haven’t fully mastered and so I tend to think, I’m just not patient. I can’t be kind.

But maybe, just maybe, times of transition are God’s way of bringing the change. He just might be setting up this opportunity for me to grow into the woman He knows I can become.

I’m learning I can allow the pressure of transition to transform me. I can permit the rain and the sunshine in my life to grow His fruit in me … the kind described in today’s key verse from Galatians 5: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Every day we are becoming something different. The question is, Who are we becoming? During the planting, watering and weeding of change, if we will be diligent and faithful during each season, we’ll see beauty grow in our lives.

As we lean into God, asking for strength through the peace or through the pain, He will make us into the women He’s intended for us to become: Women becoming God’s definition of beautiful.

Dear Jesus, I don’t always like the change that comes in my life, but I do want to be beautiful instead of bitter. Grow in me the traits You call gorgeous and help me to embrace this season. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Galatians 5:24-25, "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (NIV)

Romans 8:5, "Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit." (NLT)