READ: PROVERBS 11:14; 12:15; 15:22; 20:18 Do you have people in your life who want to give you advice, like parents, teachers, pastors, counselors, or coaches? They want us to listen to what they have to say, and often we can be tempted to shrug them off, but there may be a lot we can learn from them. Someone who has been through different seasons of life can offer a lot of wisdom, and not in the “I-told-you-so” kind of way. There are people who genuinely care and want to help. And the...

READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; GALATIANS 1:10; COLOSSIANS 3:23-24 Have you ever felt pressure to get straight As or be the best athlete on the field? There are so many things in this world telling us to be the best at this or that. When we feel this pressure on our shoulders, it can start to crush us. The truth is, it can be good to use the skills and abilities God has given us as we work hard for things and do our best—this can be an act of worship, honoring to God. But once we allow...

READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; 14:13-23; MARK 5:21-43 One of my biggest pet peeves is slow walkers. I remember in high school I would inwardly scream when I was caught behind someone dillydallying. And now, when I go to the grocery store, I weave my cart in and out of families on busy afternoon shopping trips. I drive over the speed limit. It never seems to matter that I get up hours before I need to leave for work or class—I’m always rushing out the door with my shoes untied and coffee spilling...

READ: PSALMS 23:5-6; 34:8; HABAKKUK 3:17-19; JAMES 1:17 In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice! He has given Life to me— His sinless sacrifice set me free. In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice! In the grave His body lay— Sin’s ransom fully paid. In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice! On the third day Hell did weep— Death’s final, dark defeat! In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice! May His grace be ever praised, Oh, the glory of His ways! In the goodness of the Lord I will...

READ: PSALM 23; 2 CORINTHIANS 7:5-7 Once again, intense pain had brought me to the emergency room where I waited to be admitted to an upstairs room. Beyond discouraged, I asked the Lord, “Do You still love me?” My depression deepened as one nurse after another poked me with needles and questioned me. The paramedics had been concerned and caring. At the hospital, the staff seemed determined to add to my suffering. How I longed for someone gentle to care for me. Someone like...

READ: MARK 2:13-17; JOHN 6:37 It’s common sense that showers are for the dirty, hospitals are for the sick, and life preservers are for the drowning. So why is it so hard for some of us to accept that we don’t have to fix up our lives before coming to the very One who promises to clean us, heal us, and save us? We may resist coming to God for help because we think we’re too far gone. We are correct in seeing that our sin separates us from a Holy God; we were all once totally lost in...

READ: JEREMIAH 42:1–43:7; EPHESIANS 2:1-10 “Rhode, tell us what to do. We will die here on the planet Yavorah! The Kuvil Regime took the rest of our people to their planet, and they won’t let us live here peacefully. It’s been years since Juro’s old dynasty held us in slavery— maybe if we go back, their new rulers will help us.” The desperate shouts and worried exclamations filled their meeting space, a hollowed-out tree trunk aglow with jars of lightening bugs. Rhode closed his eyes...

READ: GENESIS 1:26-31; PSALMS 119:73; 139:14; EPHESIANS 2:1-10 Who am I? This question is one we wrestle with throughout our lives. And it’s an important question to ask, because much of what we do flows from who we believe we are. Here’s the thing though—we can’t answer this question without God. And thankfully, He provides the answer in His Word. Take a look. God created human beings, and He did so out of love. Genesis 1:26-31 says that God made us in His image, and He entrusted us...

READ: NUMBERS 13–14 Numbers—funny name for a book, don’t you think? Five of its thirty-six chapters contain lists of people. But most of this book records the story of a people on the move. The best part of Numbers? We find God’s loving intervention in the lives of His people, over and over again. Numbers not only includes records of people and lists of ceremonial regulations, it also contains stories. Have you ever heard the story of a flashing sword, a shining angel, and a talking...

READ: PSALM 104:10-28; MATTHEW 6:19-34; 10:29-31 There is a lot of nature outside my window. I hear birds singing their morning songs and talking to each other all day long. Occasionally I see rabbits and even a few deer. I hear coyotes howl at night, and I’ve seen turkeys strut across the yard. All of these animals have a home out there. They know how to survive in the forest and get what they need to make it through each day. And God is the One who made all of them. He gave them the...

READ: PSALM 107:21-24, 31; COLOSSIANS 1:16; REVELATION 4:11 Have you been to an art gallery or installation recently? It’s amazing to see the way artists create memorable and beautiful works of art using paint, pencils, clay, stone, fabric, metal, wood, glass…the possibilities are nearly infinite! And just think about how our ability to create art reflects the Creator who made us—He is the greatest artist. Have you ever thought of God as an artist? Have you noticed how creative He is?...

READ: ROMANS 6:11-14; EPHESIANS 5:1-20; 1 JOHN 1:7-9 Have you ever finished cleaning a room…only to notice the sun shining on a dusty spot you missed? In our Christian lives, the same thing happens in our hearts. Often, we don’t even notice our own sin. But, through God’s Word, through our prayer times, through our times at church, or through something else, Jesus continues to show us forgotten places in our hearts where we are struggling to love God and our neighbors well. Think about it...

READ: MATTHEW 18:20; ROMANS 12:9-18; EPHESIANS 3:14-21 "Is it enough?” The question rolled around in my brain as I drove home. A family in our church was experiencing a number of medical problems, so a few of us went to their house to pray with them, bring a meal for us to eat together, and share communion. “Is what we did enough?” I asked myself on my drive home. Suddenly, the answer sprang to life in my mind, bringing a smile to my lips and easing the tension in my shoulders. Of...

READ: PSALMS 42:1–43:5; 46:1-5; MATTHEW 26:37-38 Sometimes, you cry tears They fall as hard as the rain It feels just like a storm This life, full of pain But just as quickly, the sun appears A smile comes to your face Joy in your life again It’s a beautiful time and place God is with you through these moments The ups and downs of days He gives light to the darkness Has a listening ear when you pray Pain and joy are a part of life Both times will come, you know Tears and smiles until the end...

READ: PSALM 139:1-3; ISAIAH 53; HEBREWS 4:14-16 I know someone who lost part of his leg due to health issues. Now he has a prosthetic and is able to get around just fine. Seeing him in long pants, you would never guess he has anything going on with his leg. You would have no idea of the struggles he’s faced or the fact that he still has to deal with things now that a person with two good legs would never think about. You might have an illness that most people don’t know about. This may...

READ: PSALM 63:1-5; JOHN 4:1-14; 7:37-39; PHILIPPIANS 4:11-13 Imagine how good it feels to take that first sip of cold water after a long, hot run. Imagine how good it tastes to take that first bite of your favorite meal after you’ve been smelling it cooking all day long. Water and food sustain us. We need them to survive, and it can feel so good to consume them, especially in more desperate times. Now, think about how God is our living water. Jesus said to a woman He met at a well that...

READ: PHILIPPIANS 3:7-21; 4:10-13 Do you ever feel like there’s something you need to have in order to be happy? In our world of uncertainty, it can be tempting to think that something— some piece of technology or clothing or jewelry, some rental property or car or brand name—can bring us the satisfaction we crave or solve all our problems. Sometimes, we can get so focused on getting that thing, that we lose sight of our neighbors and our Creator. We end up choosing greed and violence...

READ: PSALM 36:5-9; 2 CORINTHIANS 7:8-13 "Made it. I’m free!” Sultan yelled, jumping on the train as the doors bleeped shut behind him. Where is everyone? He thought, sitting in the empty carriage, a knot of dread weaving itself inside him. Is this the right train? “Tickets,” the guard’s rasping voice called. With trembling hands, Sultan handed over the ticket, watching in horror as the destination letters changed to Nowhere. Staring out of his dark, empty eyes the ticket collector...

READ: 1 SAMUEL 3:1-10; 2 KINGS 5:1-5; 1 CORINTHIANS 12:27; GALATIANS 5:13-14 Do you ever feel too young to do anything important for Jesus? Sometimes, when we hear stories of people traveling overseas as missionaries, or becoming foster parents, or starting a career they sensed God guiding them into…we can be left wondering, What about me? Though we may love Jesus and want to follow Him with our lives, it can feel like all we’re able to do during our teen years is wait and prepare to be an...

READ: PSALM 55:22; MATTHEW 11:28-30; 1 PETER 5:6-9 It’s natural to worry. We humans just do it, pure and simple. And the Lord, knowing how distracting chronic worry can be, lovingly offers His children a remedy because He wants to set us free from the cares that clutter up our minds and petrify our hearts. In 1 Peter 5:6-9, we see how Jesus provides that remedy. We read in verse 7 that we can cast our “cares on him.” Maybe you’ve tried this already! But sometimes, after casting our...

READ: EPHESIANS 6:18-20; 1 TIMOTHY 2:1; JAMES 5:15-17 Are you familiar with the most famous of all missionaries? His name was Paul. He preached the gospel to numerous people soon after Jesus was resurrected from the dead, and he wrote much of the New Testament. During Paul’s missionary journeys, he and his companions would start a church, then journey on. He’d spend time getting to know each unique culture, and then explain the gospel to them—the good news of Jesus’s life, death, and...

READ: PSALM 27:7-10; JOHN 14:18-20; ROMANS 8:31-39 It can feel terrible to feel all alone in the world. Whether you’re going through a time when you don’t have a lot of friends in your life or you feel like you can’t connect with others when you’re around them, loneliness can hit you hard and upset your life. When you feel like no one cares about you, know that God is always there. He always loves you—in a way that goes beyond anything you can imagine (Ephesians 3:17-21). When I’m...

READ: MATTHEW 20:16; MARK 9:33-37; GALATIANS 5:13-16; PHILIPPIANS 2:1-11 Have you ever been picked on? Or have you made fun of others for being different? In our broken world, this is an all-too-prevalent reality. But here’s the thing. When we pick on others, we’re acting like chickens. Think about it—chickens have a pecking order. The bigger, stronger chickens have the most power and access to food. Any chicken who’s different or appears weaker is at the bottom…and is mercilessly pecked...

READ: EPHESIANS 2:1-10; 3:14-21; 6:10-18 Ephesians is a short book—only six chapters. Paul wrote this letter to the church in Ephesus, but everything in it is for us as well! This small letter contains some large truths. In fact, if you want a brief overview of the good news of salvation, along with your standing in Christ as a believer, and instructions for godly living, you’ve come to the right book. The book is divided in two. In the first three chapters, Paul teaches us about...