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“Once this month is over, I’ll feel better!” “If I can just get past this week, then I’ll have relief.” If I had a dollar for every time I’ve thought a passing of time would bring me more comfort, I’d be significantly more rich than what is currently accumulating in my bank account. Can you relate? The grass is not only greener on the other side of the hill, it’s also greener on the other side of the hourglass. If we are not careful, we can place too much emphasis on the passing of time to bring us hope. While our schedule or stress might clear up in the future, God is with us now. He is good Then and There, and He is also good Here and Now. Let’s notice Him together. Pause. Breath in. Breath out. Notice your surroundings. Anchor your 5 senses to the present moment. What is true of God today? How can the attributes of God meet us where we are at now? He is attentive, faithful, and good. Like our Scripture verse for today states, He is our refuge, strength, and a very present help. Instead of placing our hope in what could happen in the future, we can place our hope in how God meets us today, right now. Yes, this week might be full of piling stressors. Yes, this week might be full of uncontrollable twists and turns. But, this week is also full of the sustainment of God. This day is full of the mercies of God. This moment is surrounded by His ever-present help. Even when we can’t “feel” it, He is here and now with us. Jesus, I need you here and now. Help me know that you are with me here and now. You are my ever-present help.

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We’ve all been there, adding water to our near empty shampoo bottle to spread it just a little more until we can run to the store. It’s stretched thin, but it does the job. Maybe you have a few more hacks up your sleeve to multiply the lifespan of products. Please help us out and share! In the Bible, we see things supernaturally multiply that naturally would be at their end. Abraham’s offspring. Fish and loaves. Wine at a wedding. The early persecuted church. God’s providence and faithfulness is certainly the not-so-secret ingredient that spreads out these things, among many more. The world would look at the early believers in Jesus and think, “Oh they won’t last long. They are persecuted severely and either they will all die off or lose their zeal.” Yet the book of Acts shares the unfolding stories of how in the midst of persecution, the people of God grow increasingly in number. They spread more than what naturally makes sense!

Acts 9:31 tells us two important factors about these our earliest brothers and sisters in Christ. 1) They walked in the fear of the Lord and 2) They walked in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. They did not fear man, they feared God. They did not rely on earthly comforts, they relied on God’s comfort.

Friends, we too are part of that growing number of believers, empowered by the Spirit to walk in these things as we face stretching circumstances in our faith journey. When we feel depleted, nearing the end of our strength to keep going, we can rely on the wisdom that comes from fearing God to guide us one step at a time. We can rely on the peace that comes from the comforting Holy Spirit to sustain us one day at a time. Let us walk in these daily.

God, I want to walk in your wisdom and comfort. Thank you for walking alongside us, multiplying us for your glory.

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Don't forget to remember

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26 (ESV)

Do you remember the first concert you went to? Do you remember your 3rd grade teacher’s name? Your email password? Do you remember what you had for dinner last night? The name of the person you met five minutes ago? While I like to think I have a decent memory, I’ve proven otherwise when I walk into a room forgetting why I entered it, when I pick up my phone forgetting what I meant to search, and when I’m standing in the grocery aisle forgetting what items we need. Through the years, I’ve developed nifty tools to help me recall important things. I use the notes app, alarms, dry erase boards, email drafts to future me, saying things out loud, purposefully leaving items out on the counter, etc. Our brains are limited and it’s easy to forget! Remembering is easier said than done.

In the Bible, remember is repeatedly used (over 140x) to communicate: don’t forget what the LORD has done for us! If the Israelites in the wilderness could so quickly forget that God had delivered them from slavery across a parted Red Sea, then we certainly have the capacity to forget the good things God has done for us from time to time. God leaves us with “nifty tools” or tangible ways to ensure we don’t forget. In the Old Testament, God tells them to write His words and bind them to their bodies, gates, and doorposts. He tells them to talk about His words constantly to each other and to their children. He tells them to set up memorials like stones or trees or altars. He implements calendar structures of Sabbath to remind them to rest. In the New Testament, Jesus implements the action of taking communion to remind us of the cross. We are told to pray constantly and to meet together in fellowship often. And best of all, the Spirit of God dwells inside us to help us remember. The Spirit brings to our remembrance the words of God by means of conviction and comfort. We can trust God to help us remember what matters most: what He has done for us.

God, thank you for the gift of your indwelling Spirit who reminds me of what I am so quick to forget. With your Spirit’s help, please guide me to steward my limited mind well and seek ways to remember what you have done for me.

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Habit of meeting together

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)

Why do we neglect the things we know we should do? For example, I KNOW I need to stay hydrated, but I either pick coffee instead or just plain forget to drink water. I KNOW I need daily sunshine, but I get so busy with tasks around the house that I don’t step outside as often as I should. I KNOW boundaries are healthy, but I find myself spread thin with all the things I say “yes” to prematurely.

Sometimes it’s not a matter of ignorance of what is best for us, rather it's a matter of indifference, distraction, or refusal. As believers, we are probably not ignorant to the Bible’s encouragement to be active members in the body of Christ. But perhaps indifference (especially after the pandemic), distraction (hello hustle culture), or refusal (maybe from previous hurt), keep us from plugging into a local church. I’ve had my own times of isolating from fellowship, and it was those times I lacked the accountability and support I needed most. I know I should not make a habit of trying to do this on my own. There is value in being connected to the body of Christ. Among some of the greatest gifts God has given me are sweet sisters in Christ who have walked alongside me through transition, doubt, and trials. But I had to let them in, being vulnerable about my faith journey, making a habit of stretching myself to “stir” them up and accept their stirring.

Sister, I know that sometimes this is difficult to carry out. Perhaps we have experienced painful church hurt, or have to leave a church due to spiritual abuse. I have been there. I have experienced the aches of fellowship abruptly ending and having to start over elsewhere. My best advice is to seek the Lord, making it a priority of prayer that He brings people into your life, or perhaps back into your life. Pray that He guides you to a church body in which you can grow spiritually among like-minded believers. He is faithful to answer that sincere prayer.

God, help me consider how to stir up my brothers and sisters to love and good works. I don’t want to make a habit of neglecting the body of Christ. Help me find and maintain healthy fellowship among believers.

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Praise the Lord, all nations!

Psalm 117 Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD! (ESV)

If you are ever in a time crunch and only have ten seconds to read the Bible, I would definitely give Psalm 117 a try. It comes in at record-setting low of only two verses! Although this chapter is incredibly brief, its impact is massive. Not gonna lie, at first glance, it’s hard for me to see anything spectacular about this chapter. I know that is not spiritual of me to admit, but it sounds like a typical Psalm of praise. And yet, the apostle Paul found Psalm 117’s short message profound enough to quote in letter to the Romans. Flip over to Romans 15 and you will see that Paul is in the middle of what seems like a very important argument where he is quoting various Old Testament passages to prove a point about Jesus. In Romans 15, we see that among quotes from some of the greatest Jewish heroes (Moses and Isaiah) is David’s shortest recorded Psalm, #117. What point was he trying to make in this discourse? Paul, having been a devout Jew, had a history of being exclusive toward Gentiles and persecutory toward Christians. But after a radical encounter with Jesus, every preferential bone in Paul’s body dissolves. In Romans 15, Paul uses the short and sweet Psalm 117 to prove that there is unity in Christ among Jews and Gentiles. In beckoning back to ancient texts, Paul shares that God’s heart was always about relationship over religion. He had chosen the Jewish people not to be exclusive, but rather to use them to be a light to the surrounding Gentile nations that they too might be included into the family of God! Paul takes this understanding seriously and becomes a missionary for the Gentile nations. God’s steadfast love does not discriminate! God, we praise you alongside our brothers and sisters from every nation. Thank you for including us into your family. Your faithfulness and love endures forever.

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Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?”or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God. Proverbs 30:8-9 (ESV)

Taylor Swift. Oprah. Rihanna. Kim Kardashian. These names, among a few others, were mentioned in an article I read recently about the richest women in the world. One can’t help but wonder: how would my life be different if I too was worth over a billion dollars? I will most likely never know for sure what my billionaire lifestyle would look like, but I do know that my heart’s attachment to materialism will never produce true contentment. We all could name case studies proving that high profile celebrities are not immune to depression, addiction, or loneliness and that some of the poorest people on the planet exude the most joy. To paraphrase my pastor: If our sense of peace comes from external circumstances, then it can just as easily be taken away by external circumstances. Consider the profound insight of the sage who wrote Proverbs 30. He writes that he would not ask the Lord, “Give me riches!” otherwise he would deny God. He also would not ask, “Give me poverty!” otherwise he would profane God. What then, should we ask God to give us? “Give us this day our daily bread.” True joy and peace are sourced beyond anything this world can offer. That source is God our Provider, Sustainer, Comforter, and Deliverer. We can trust the Lord to provide for us in a way that produces more contentment than what the top richest women’s net worths combined would bring. He might not always give us what we want in excess, but like Proverbs 30:8 says, He will give us what is needful for us today. He is faithful to rain down “manna” and new mercies every morning. He is faithful to sustain us daily no matter how our external circumstances appear. God, give me neither poverty nor riches. Give me this day my daily bread. I base my contentment in you.

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Whether this Mother’s Day stirs up feelings of celebration or grief, or some combination of the two, God sees, He knows and He cares.

Celebrating and grieving on this day are both valid and both experiences can coexist.

God is near as we experience the distance between our reality and the eternity we were created for.

You are seen and you matter so much. No matter where you are this Mother’s Day.

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

Paul writes in Colossians 3 that we should set our minds on things that are above and not on earthly things. This seems like a great idea, but it’s easier said than done. It’s hard not to be mentally consumed by what we see on social media. It’s hard not to dwell on what we wish was different. It’s hard not to ruminate on things that are unfair. In other words, it's really, really easy to set our minds on earthly things. But where our mind is set, our behaviors follow. Paul continues on in this passage about putting off the old self and putting on the new self. He shares clear examples of behaviors that would fall into either category. The old self looks like sexual immorality, obscene talk, lying, etc. The new self looks like kindness, patience, forgiveness, etc. Now, Paul is not merely trying to convince us to just have external behavior modification. Much deeper, it’s a matter of what our hearts and minds are set to. Paul writes that the new self is being “renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” The more we orient our mind to growing in knowledge about God through reading and studying His Word, the more our old self sheds away. So let’s consider together: How does knowing Jesus change the way we approach a current family conflict? How does knowing Jesus change the way we approach unfair circumstances at our work? Injustice we see in the news cycle? The profiles we follow and engage with on Instagram? Our private conversations and public declarations? To reflect Jesus in these areas, we must know Him, the One we are reflecting. Our behaviors follow what we set our mind to. Lord, please renew my mind that I may set it on Your things above. Please guide my decisions, words, and behaviors to reflect you.

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But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. Romans 6:22 (NIV)

In the United States, we experience a change in leadership every 4 years. The United Kingdom just had a change in their monarchy after 44 years! (RIP Queen Elizabeth) There are many shifts in leadership through Scripture, but perhaps the most drastic change in masters is in the book of Exodus when the Israelites were rescued by God from the oppressive Pharaoh. After 400 years in slavery, God would be their master now. Being under God’s rule was MUCH different than being under Pharaoh's rule. Pharoah saw the Israelites as a disregarded possession to work for himself. God saw the Israelites as a treasured possession with whom to have a relationship with. Pharaoh dealt with them from afar. God desired to dwell among them. Pharaoh increased the burden of their labor. God’s yoke was easy and His burden, light. Pharaoh demanded that they work. God commanded them to rest. Pharoah’s end for them was death. God’s end for them is eternal life. The hold that Pharaoh had on the Israelites pales compared to the grip sin has on us when it is our master. The Bible is clear: we are either slaves to sin, or slaves to righteousness. We cannot serve two masters. Our culture encourages us to live for ourselves, to define truth our own way, and to follow our own rules. Even as believers, how often do we consider our own emotions and desires as a better master than God? Proverbs 14:12 says “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Let us submit to the reign of the wise King who truly knows best for us. Let us submit to his rule as He leads us straight to eternal life. We can trust every direction He gives us because unlike Pharoah, all that God does is for His glory and our good. God, I trust you as my master because I know that all you do is for my good and your glory. Thank you for redeeming me to be under your rule.

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Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Deuteronomy 5:15 (NIV)

There’s many things in life that I am literally powerless to do on my own, both due to lack of muscles and lack of expertise. For example, I wouldn’t even know where to begin if I had to remove and fill my cavities solo. I am powerless to contribute meaningfully to a basketball or flag football game. I am powerless to fetch the pacifier my toddler throws toward the back of the car while I am driving. My list could go on. Moreso, in the beginning of Exodus, we see the people of God utterly powerless, stuck in what looks like an impossible situation to get out of. They are in bo***ge to Pharaoh and are completely powerless to change anything about their way of life. But God! God miraculously delivered the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt in what seems like the most epic supernatural moment. It’s hard to fathom what it must have been like to physically walk away from an oppressive king through a large body of water split right in two! After Moses led the Israelites across the Red Sea, the waters folded back to their natural state, separating them from their old way of life. This Old Testament story points us to an even greater deliverance from an even greater oppression than Pharaoh: the oppression of sin and death. Jesus Christ, an even greater and more powerful mediator than Moses, delivers us out of our powerless state of being dead in our sin. The Spirit of God seals us, sanctifying us away from our old life. We could rephrase today’s Scripture verse like this: Remember, that we were once slaves in our sin and that the LORD our God brought us out of that bo***ge with a mighty hand and outstretched arms on the cross. May we never forget this truth, sisters. We were powerless and now the power of Christ which saved us, abides in us. God, we remember that we are powerless to deliver ourselves and we thank you for your gracious and powerful deliverance.

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So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. Genesis 2:3 (ESV)

I pulled off my first all-nighter during my freshman year in college. My procrastination left me no choice but to forfeit sleep in order to write an entire research paper on developmental psychology in 6 hours. I’d rather not share my grade with you, but I will share that my dependency on coffee was birthed that week for obvious reasons. 10 years and 3 kids later, I now have a few more all-nighters under my belt and I am definitely still dependent on coffee for energy. Caffeine and a good nap can only do so much; there has to be a much better “fuel” to keep us going in all our unending responsibilities. Perhaps, more so than a restful nap, there is much to gain from the rest God offers us. In Genesis 1 and 2, God creates the world in 6 days and on the 7th day, He rests. God rests not because He was fatigued, but because His work of laying the foundation of the world was complete and it was time to implement this day of rest- which is not followed by the previous 6-day patterned “evening and morning”. It’s as if this 7th day is intended to have no end. He then commissions the pinnacle of His creation, image-bearing mankind, to work. God gives mankind the responsibility to steward His creation by being fruitful, multiplying, having dominion, and subduing. This wasn’t meant to be exhausting work; it was meant to be within the bounds of God’s unending day of rest. Due to the effects of the Fall, our responsibilities are tainted by sin, full of pain and toil, disconnected from our intended source of rest. But God did not leave this problem without a solution. Almost immediately after the Fall, God promises One who will restore mankind back to His rest. Jesus’ finished work makes a way for us to enter into this Rest. While my poor choices might result in another fatigued/highly caffeinated day or two, I know that my ultimate fuel comes from my God- my source of rest and strength. God, thank you for being my ultimate source of fuel as I steward my life well for you.

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For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)


My faith journey begins as early as I can remember with one of those “born and raised in church” testimonies. My religious “boast list” gets an A+! I was a pastor’s kid who got baptized before turning double-digits. I was the queen of Sunday school who led peers in youth group. I began tithing with my very first paycheck. I even graduated college from a Christian university! This reminds me of the apostle Paul, who documented his long and strong spiritual “boast list” in Philippians 3. Paul had many reasons to place “confidence in the flesh” as one of the most devout Jewish Pharisees of his generation. Yet, even though Paul’s list of spiritual accomplishments far outshines mine, he resolved to NOT boast in any of it. Why? Because the truth of the gospel melted away his works-based pride. Likewise, once I became a young adult, God exposed the works-based, self-centered state of my heart. I had based my faith on the checklist of things I was doing for Him. I quite literally (and sinfully) prided myself in how many books of the Bible I memorized and how many spiritual gifts I operated in. This approach to my relationship with God gave me spiritual whiplash- being either full of pride in all my accomplishments or riddled in guilt in all my shortcomings. Turns out that like Paul, I’m not as “good” as my spiritual “boast list” makes me appear. I had misunderstood the beauty of the gospel- that salvation is based solely on the goodness of God, not the goodness of me. It is God’s grace that produces good works in us, not the other way around. Friend, let this truth dissolve any stock we have in our ability to produce a spiritual “boast list.” It’s been a humbling journey to let go of my “boast list,” but the grace of Jesus is so much better to hold onto. God, help me release any lingering grasp toward works-based religion and cling wholeheartedly to your amazing grace.

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In the hustle of our busy lives, it’s easy to tie our hope up in the elusive ‘next thing.’

Our hope often clings to the promise of ‘something’ to restore meaning to our lives. So we fix our eyes and efforts upon a created hope.

Yet, upon reaching what we hoped for, we quickly realize its transient nature. We’re left searching and longing for something more…

True hope, however, can bring peace rather than anxious striving and endless seeking.

It is not something we can find or create. Rather, it’s a gift we’re invited to experience daily.

Every day is brimming with hope.

Imagine each morning as a treasure chest, eagerly waiting to unveil its purpose-filled treasures to those who open it with hopeful hearts.

We can wake up filled with confidence in a father who loves us. We can embrace each sunrise with expectant hearts that He is with us and for us.

Today is the perfect day for a reset…

A day to untether your hope from that elusive ‘next thing’ and ground it where true hope is found …in Him whose love for us will never fail.

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you…” Psalm 143:8

“But those who hope in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Prayer: Lord, we too often put our hope in things that will ultimately disappoint. Restore our sense of true hope in You. Remind us that we can live expectantly, even in the in-betweens, because you, Lord, are our hope. When we hope in other things to give us what only you can give, steer our minds and hearts back to you. Thank you that your love is steadfast in our lives, it never ceases and is always with us. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who has been given to us because you love us and desire for us to experience you, always. Give us this day, Lord, a hope-filled and hopeful day.

Do you remember the childhood days when boredom was a constant companion, and the world stretched out before you like an open canvas waiting to be uncovered?


Now life exists within the constraints of busy days and filled calendars with not a minute to spare for us to experience boredom.

Yet…As we navigate the busyness of adult life, we often lose sight of the magic that margin unlocked for us as a child… A chance to create, explore, ideate, dream, and experience greater joy.


Challenge yourself this week to take small, but mighty steps to create windows of opportunity to restore some of this wonder back into your life.



Schedule pockets of 'fun time,' set boundaries on your commitments, or plan activities with those who bring joy into your life.


Give yourself permission to embrace stillness rather than distractions.



Perhaps this intentional margin could bring about greater rest, a deeper sense of renewal, restored joy or even the beginning of something wonder-filled?


“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” Psalm 23:2-3


Prayer: Lord, restore our sense of wonder, joy, and adventure. We confess that we have created busy lives with no room to experience the gifts you’ve given us. We’re often blinded by our busyness to even see the gifts you’ve surrounded us with. As children, we never imagined missing the days of boredom and now we long again for more of those quieter days, greater freedom with time, and a restored soul. Help us to make wise choices with our time, rediscover the gift of the Sabbath in our lives, and loosen our grip on control so that we might make room for us to experience more of You and your goodness.

WHEATFUL WEDNESDAY weekly devotionals are back!!

We’re drawn to the idea of productivity.

In the midst of our busy lives, we set out to tackle our to-do lists and keep up with our calendars, hoping to feel that sweet sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.


We want every day to be visibly fruitful.


We expect every day to be abundant and when it’s not, we often feel guilt, shame, or defeat.


Yet, if we look at nature, however, we discover a profound and encouraging truth. Actual harvest seasons are fleeting and only appear in brief seasons.


We learn that there are many seemingly “unproductive” and quiet days where change and growth are happening even though we don’t quite see them.


Roots are growing.


Water and light are bringing forth life.


There is stillness.


There is quiet growth.


And…


Lastly, and almost suddenly, the fruit appears.


So today, take this simple reminder drawn from nature.


Let daily faithfulness be the productivity you seek, trusting and resting in Him today.


Be reminded that you have nothing to prove.


Release the burden of your striving and give today only what it needs.


The harvest will unfold in due time.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Prayer: Lord, you equip us with everything we need to produce every good work you’ve called us to. Forgive us when we create anxious minds and restless lives trying to muster up daily proof of our worthiness. Rid us of our striving. Thank you, Lord, that neither every day or every season can produce a harvest. Help us to rest in that truth. Return our hearts and minds to you. Give us wisdom to know what we need to nourish our souls today. We commit this day and the season ahead to you.