Welcome to Today’s Encouragement. If you need some encouragement for today, we’re here to help with devotionals and encouraging Scripture for today. Life can be hard. It’s not always easy to live out our faith in ways that glorify and honor Jesus. We get it because we struggle sometimes, too, so we hope these tiny snippets of encouragement from our daily inspirational quotes and daily Scripture quotes will help you embrace truth and live a little more like Jesus today. 
3/14/24
The Infinite Pi and the One Who Created It
Pi exists.
3/6/24
Today’s Encouragement: Miracle of the Drive
If you saw the mid-week encouragement story last week, you know about the miracle of the reception. God granted me a big dose of amazing grace to allow me to be present at the art gallery reception. If you missed it, you can scroll back a bit and see it or read about it on FaceBook here: Miracle of the Reception.
I left out an important part last week so, today, I want to share a little about the 90 minute drive to the gallery and a verse that changed that drive into a portable sanctuary.
Because of the acute back injury, the simple act of pressing down on the accelerator sent a hot-poker of pain through my right leg. I scooted my seat up as close to the steering wheel as possible and tried to chose roads on which I could use cruise control. Still, there was a lot of fire going through my leg by the time I reached the appointed place in Tupelo for back-taping.
The stop gave me a little break but the fire was back in my leg as soon as I headed out again. I hadn’t gone far when I started to wonder if I could make it another hour. As I began to pray, a much-loved Psalm came to mind.
Years ago I helped teach 3rd grade Sunday School and we taught the children to memorize a variety of verses. When they learned Psalm 100, I memorized the passage right along with them. As I quoted the psalm aloud while I drove, one verse stood out:
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving; and His courts with praise.” (v. 4)
This sounds crazy, I know, but I pondered that verse a minute and thought, “I’m bound to feel better in His courts than I do right now,” so I started giving thanks and praising God. I wasn’t feeling all that grateful but my decision wasn’t about how I felt.
I learned a long time ago that giving thanks “in all things” includes giving thanks in the hard—even when we don’t feel thankful. With that in mind, I thanked God for how He planned to use my back injury. For all the people who were praying for me. For the people who helped in tangible ways. For the miracles of acetaminophen, ice packs, and heating pads.
Interspersed with the thanks, I praised God for Who He is and, eventually, began to sing hymns and praise songs. As I thanked and sang, I found a fairly comfortable position for my leg. The pain eased a bit and my attention moved from the painful fire in my leg to the fire of praise in my heart. I was still singing when I pulled into the parking space across from the gallery.
You’ve probably already seen the rest of the story, but suffice it to say, God gave me a miracle. I walked across the street with barely a limp, did all I wanted and needed to do at the reception, and walked out without a limp.
I said this last week and I’ll say it again. Twelve hours before, I couldn’t put weight on my right leg at all, much less walk across the street without a limp. It really was a miracle.
Did God give me a miracle because I thanked Him and prayed? I think He gave me a miracle because He wanted to do it and because so many people asked Him for it. He answered prayers.
Answered prayer is always a big miracle.
The biggest miracle of all, however, wasn’t walking without a limp or even having art in a gallery or an art reception to attend. The biggest miracle of all was God’s kept-promise that we enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.
Almighty God invites us into His presence. The key that unlocks the gate is thanksgiving. The key that slides open the court door is praise. Why would He do this? Why invite flawed humans to draw close to Him?
The next verse explains it all:
“For the Lord is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And His faithfulness to all generations.” v. 5
He’s always good. He always loves. He always invites us in. We can trust Him because He is who He says He is and He always does what He says He’ll do.
2/28/24
Today’s Encouragement: Miracle of the Reception
Easy is the place we rest. Hard is the place we grow.
1/27/24
Circumstances
This “selfie“ was taken an hour or so before the horses went back into the pasture a few days ago. Cali is giving me a hard look because she’s had all the stall time she can stand.
My previous attempt at a selfie, with her stall door in the background and her head partly between the metal rods, ended when she tried to bite me. Unfortunately, I mistook her touch for a nuzzle. Fortunately she only grabbed my sturdy jacket and not my back.
Cali didn’t like her circumstances even a little bit and she blamed me for them. Snug in her stall, she couldn’t see the blanket of pure ice covering the pastures, the thermometer registering single digits, or the risk to her life if she slipped, fell, and fractured a leg.
Her confining circumstances weren’t a time out for bad behavior or because she has a mean master. Instead, her circumstances, though less than desirable to her, protected her from an unseen and deadly danger. She didn’t know enough or understand enough to be grateful.
There have been times in my life when I’ve been a lot like Cali. I, too, have resented uncomfortable circumstances, complained to the One who loved me enough to protect me, and tried hard to rearrange things to suit my preferences. Looking back, I’m so glad God overrode my pride and rebellion to allow the difficulties that shaped my life and made me into a better version of me then I’d have been without them.
Hard times are common to us all but God never wastes suffering. He sees the end from the beginning and, according to Romans 8:28, He works all things, good and badd, easy and hard, together for good.
I’ve learned trust, endurance, forgiveness, perseverance, and the blessing of waiting (among other things) from hard times. How about you? How have hard times shaped your life? What lessons have you learned from circumstances you didn’t choose or enjoy?
Today, take a moment to look back and give thanks for the hard lessons God used to shape your life.
1/25/24
The Creator and the Creative in You
I hope you’re not tired of hearing about my paintings because they’re as much a part of my journey as the ice and hauling water to the barn were last week.
It took more than sixty-eight years to get me ready for yesterday but God did it.
This part of my journey began with “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…” He created light, oceans, earth, vegetation, stars, sun, and moon, birds and fish, animals, and finally humans. Something different every day. Genesis 1:27 tells us God created men and women in His image.
Don’t miss this important truth: our Creator created us with a bit of the creativity of His image in us.
Ponder that for a moment. We are created with a bit of innate creativity in us because we’re made in God’s creative image. Some of us are creative with food and spices, wood or clay, words, or paint and canvas. Some do beautiful tablescapes or lovely gardens. Knit. Sew. Quilt. Decorate breathtaking cakes and cookies. Photography. The expressions of creativity are as varied as we are and it’s a good thing.
When I took a temporary foray into the world of fiction, I found an unsettling dilemma. An author could write fiction or nonfiction, but not both. I love fiction so the choice was hard. I love storytelling even more.
Over the years, I’ve expressed creativity through collage, potttery, writing, knitting, and handmade paper, among a wide variety of mediums. When I picked up a paintbrush during the pandemic, though, it was as I’d found the outlet I’d been seeking all my life.
Yesterday, I dropped off my paintings at the Columbus Arts Council gallery. As I wandered through the displays and looked at the art, I saw continuity in the exhibits. Each artist had a style and it was a common thread woven through all their work. The art was powerful because it made me think, feel. I wanted to talk with the artists and ask questions about the why’s and how’s of their work. I wanted to know what the artist thought and felt.
Art should always make us think and feel.
Squeak, who works at the Columbus Arts Council, wandered with me. In comparison to the cohesive work on the walls, mine seemed disjointed and eclectic.
“I kinda hate for you to unpack all my paintings because they’re so different. Representational flowers. Abstract flowers. Collage. Pure abstract. Different products. Colors…” I told her.
In a voice as gentle as if she were speaking to a child, she spoke words I’ve long needed to hear. “Why would you want to always do the same thing? The beauty of art is that you don’t have to. You can expand your skills, try new things, stretch your style.”
“I don’t have to ‘find my voice’ and only paint in that style?” I asked. “I don’t have to choose?”
“You can, but you don’t have to, “ she assured me.
We took a few more steps as I listened to the gentle whisper in my heart. “I made something different every day…” in that moment I realized we don’t reject puppies because they don’t look like trees or fish because they aren’t like mountains. We embrace all of God’s creation because it’s good.
My creative efforts are meager in comparison but, for the first time, I understood a basic truth I’d missed somehow along the way. My eclectic art reflects the eclectic in me and the journey of a lifelong student who longs to learn more. Maybe my “voice” is an eclectic voice.
If God placed creativity in all of us, and I believe He did, how do you express your God-given creativity? How does it make you feel to use the gifts God placed in you?
You’ve seen some of my creativity and now I’d love to see some of yours. Share a photo of something you’ve done. I have a canvas covered with discarded painter’s tape and I’m calling it art (I hope people will give me grace about it) so you can count on grace and encouragement here.
Step outside your comfort zone and show us a glimpse of our Creator in you.
1/23/24
Personal Pitifulness and Answered Prayer
You can see from the picture that my sidewalk is not much better. I just fed the horses and found patches of ice all the way to the barn.
Today is the day I’m supposed to take my paintings to the gallery in Columbus. It’s not the first time I’ve had a painting in a gallery show, but it’s the first time I’ve had a section of a gallery for a group of my paintings.
When they invited me to apply for the Artist Alley exhibit, I only had 15 paintings. I’ve worked hard to get thirty done. Up early to paint. Up late after work to paint. Weekends spent painting. It took a lot of dreaming, learning, redo’s, and experimenting to get here.
Do I love every painting? No. Will you love every painting? Probably not. This group of paintings represents my artistic journey as I look for my “style” and wonder if I can do both representational and abstract art without confusing my audience. And what does that even mean? But it’s a real concern for emerging artists.
After all the work and struggle, I am finally to this day. It was to be the first of several big days in this process and I was seriously excited.
To say I’m disappointed about the ice is an understatement. When I felt the slick layer beneath my feet this morning, I had to blink back tears. For a brief moment, I wanted to sit down and wail like a hungry baby—but ice sitting didn’t seem an attractive option so I kept walking. Scooped feed. Fed horses.
Today, I did what I’ve done repeatedly over the last week. Cried out, “Lord Jesus, we need Your help here!” For someone who writes and teaches extensively about prayer, that may sound like a pitiful example of prayer. Maybe it is, but those seven words are packed with surrender, desperation, hope, and trust. When we cry out, God hears our prayers and responds—even to seven-word, pitiful prayers.
As I related my whining pitifulness to my dear friend, she messaged back: “I have no words but I’m praying for you.” And she did.
God has already begun to answer both our prayers—with a reminder about my horses waiting for me by the fence this morning. They weren’t worried about what to eat. They know I’ll bring food. They have faith in the one who always provides.
My horses aren’t whining at all about a little ice and snow or worried about when it will melt. They’re just grateful to be out of the stalls. Grateful for food. Grateful that their every need is met.
I hope to be more like my grateful horses before this day is over. No, I CHOOSE to be more like my grateful horses so I’m counting my blessings, celebrating what He’s already done, and choosing to truth that even a delay, in God’s hands, can be a blessing in disguise.
What about you? Are you choosing grumbling or gratitude? Fretting or faith? Why not join me in celebrating our blessings, rejoicing in the certainty that circumstances will change and that, no matter what comes, God is still in control.
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:8 NLT
1/22/24
Finishing Strong
I’d like to think my sidewalk is safer than yesterday and the driveway is better but it’s not true. I put one foot on the sidewalk in front of my house this morning to test the ice. It’s slippery as an eel. Maybe more so.
Now it’s time to head to the barn to take care of the horses, but the path I followed for the last few days is up both treacherous and dangerous.
The ice has broken up a little around the leaves. Grass in the pasture in front of the barn is sticking out in clumps. I have to climb through the landscaping to get to the safer area, but it’s possible. It’s a longer path and not as easy as the straight to the barn path, especially wiith a wheelbarrow, but for this morning, it’s the safest.
I want to be finished with the hard. I want the easy today.
Right now.
This morning.
This minute.
Unfortunately what was the easier path yesterday is the dangerous, slip-and-break-a-hip path today.
I’m taking the longer, bumpier path—not because I’m afraid of the other path but because I choose wisdom, discernment, and safety. I know I can get to the barn and care for my horses on the slower, longer path. I know I can finish strong this way.
I’m not so sure of the shorter one.
It’s one more decision in a lifetime of decisions and every single one of them have led to this day. This decision.
It’s the same for all of us. The choices we make today impact tomorrow in ways we can’t begin to imagine. As we start this week, let’s consider every decision through the lens of tomorrow, of the long haul, of eternity. What will bring us closer to the goal? To the call of God in our lives? To the victorious, meaningful life we want?
Let’s make that decision and pave the path toward tomorrow with wisdom and hope.
“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14
1/21/24
Hearing and Listening
The steady drip, drip, drip of water from the faucets throughout my house serves as a sign I’ve done my part to prevent pipe freeze and rupture. The drips also provide much-needed reassurance that the pipes are intact and water can still flow. Dripping water, this week, has been a good thing.
But oh the sound of the steady drip, drip, drip from multiple faucets! I can ignore it during the day but the moment I crawl into bed at night the sound is magnified beyond reason. There’s no way I can ignore it enough to sleep so I found an easy solution: Foam Earplugs.
They work great at drowning out the drips and the soft foam is comfortable enough that sometimes I forget they’re in place. One morning I awakened, went downstairs for coffee and breakfast, and began my morning routine, earplugs still in place. No sound of dripping water, snoring dogs, appliances running in the background, or trumpeting train whistles.
The quiet was nice.
It was easier to hear the thoughts in my head. Easier to read Scripture and recognize the truth in the words and the application for my life. Easier to hear the Gentle Whisper in my heart. The quiet made it easier to still my mind, to focus, to write.
The quiet also stilled my heart and I’ve experienced God more clearly this week. Recognized Him at work in big and small ways. Seen answered prayers. Reveled in His comfort, strength, and hope.
I’m ready for the ice to thaw and the workload to diminish but I’m not ready for the stillness to end. Going forward, I hope to find a way to embrace quiet and hold to stillness so I can hear God’s still small voice in my heart more clearly and follow Him more closely.
What about you? Have you embraced the stillness this week? Has it made a difference for you?
As we look toward higher temperatures, a coming thaw, and a return to our routines, why not join me in choosing stillness and quiet? Carve out a little time every day to be still. Listen. Think. Pray. Be still and know that He is God. (Psalm 46:10) Hold to the lessons of this week and let them transform the days to come.
1/20/24
One Thing at a Time
The sun is up, my first cup of coffee has kicked in, and I’m snuggled up next to my pups pondering the first trip of the day to the barn. The temperature is 13 with a wind chill of 2 here in my corner of Mississippi and I’m not looking forward to the trip.
First, though, I need to fill these buckets with water from my kitchen faucet, haul them across the living room without spilling a drop, load the wheelbarrow, then roll it to the barn. (You can see the barn in the distance in the picture.)
It’s a quick walk to the barn most of the time but the ice has thawed a little and refrozen so many times in the last few days that the road is a icey, pitted mess. Rolling across the impressions of foot prints equals a bumpy ride and a lot of water spillage. So far, though, I’ve reached the barn with enough. Every single time.
The weather app on my phone projects a low of 13 tonight, a high of 38 tomorrow, 13 again tomorrow night, and finally a high of 48 on Monday. An almost-tropical heat wave is on its way but it’s awfully cold now.
Three trips to the barn with water today. Three tomorrow. One or two on Monday. Seven or eight to go before the results of this storm resolve.
When I think about hauling water and dealing with Cranky Cali eight more times, I’m not filled with joy and delight. It’s more like dread and despair.
As I whined to the Lord about how tired I am of pushing the wheelbarrow and getting out in the cold, a verse came to mind. Matthew 6:34 tells us, ““Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” I laughed out loud. The Leanna paraphrase says, “Girl, you don’t have to make eight trips to the barn this morning. You only have to make one right now. And that’s not too hard. Deal with the work of this hour. There’s plenty of time to deal with the rest when the time comes.”
I have a tendency to look at the entire span of hard ahead, become overwhelmed by the enormity of it, and end up stopped in my tracks, too stressed to move ahead.
Maybe you do that, too. It’s a very human response. The path of peace, however, is, according to Jesus, to take one day, one hour, one minute at a time and trust Him to help with every bit of the journey. I can’t change tomorrow by fretting about it but I can impact today by doing what must be done.
If you’re overwhelmed with the work ahead and the enormity of catching up on all you couldn’t do this week, why not consider the words of Jesus. Take it a day at a time. If a day’s too much, take an hour. That’s what I’m about to do. Head to the kitchen. Fill the buckets. Roll my way to the barn. There’s some hard ahead but, when the horses are fed and watered and the buckets are empty, the way back home will be easy and light.
___
Update: Cali and Belle were glad to see me and welcomed me with sweet nickers and a few snuggles instead of frantic whinnies and prancing in place. Easily done and a sweet start to the day. The time I spent dreading? A total waste. Getting the work done early? So worth it!
1/19/24
(Cali’s the paint on the left. Belle’s the quarter horse on the right.) These two beauties love being in the pasture with lots of room to gallop about, nibble on hay all day long, and enjoy the sunshine. When the temperature dropped, they were grateful for their 12’’ x 12 stalls in the warm barn. For a night. Over the course of the week, though, Cali’s grown progressively more restless.
This morning she reached her limit. Cali very nearly managed to bend the rebar on the stall door enough to get her head through. I could hear her whinnies from outside the barn. Sweet Belle, who is patiently enduring her confinement, stood quietly in her stall and stared at Cali.
Before I could reach Cali’s door, her whinnies reached a fevered pitch. That’s writer’s talk to say she sounded berserk and I began to feel a little berserk too. “Peace, be still” and other quieting Scripture had no effect.
“Cali, calm down. I’m hauling this bucket of water as fast as I can!” My curt instructions didn’t help either.
She’s a diva who hates being stalled and she knows how to get what she wants. In frustration, she started banging her head on the stall door, watching me carefully to see what I’d do.
Out was what she wanted, but the ice is slick. My farming friends with livestock in the field have shared stories of their animals sliding precariously. It’s a good way to break a leg and end a horse’s life. In the interest of prolonged life and intact bones, she has to stay in the barn until it’s safe to go outside.
Enough was enough for me, too. I put the water bucket on the ground, threw up my arms, and shouted, “Lord Jesus we need some help here. Cali’s lost her mind and I might be about to lose mine. But we don’t have a choice. We have to endure. So please send your peace and your calm to all of us before I step into her stall. She’s acting like a maniac right now.” I might’ve shed a few tears of frustration.
In that instant, God did what only He could do.
I stood still for a long moment and gulped in the peace as Cali quieted and stepped back from the door. When I put the water bucket in place and removed her empty bucket, she gave me room to move. I returned a few minutes later with her feed bucket and she nuzzled my arm as I poured the feed into the trough.
Both horses were calm and quietly eating when I left the barn.
Jesus still calms storms. Today, the storm most in need of calm was the one inside us. My heart. Cali’s. And just like He did on the sea with His disciples, He calmed the storm and inserted His peace. He and His disciples made it safely to the other shore and we will too.
Are you frustrated by the confinement like Cali? Tired of the extra work? Worried about the financial impact of the storm? Struggling with some other challenge?
Why not take your storm to Jesus and let Him give you His peace.
Not much longer friends. The snow will melt. The confinement will end. His peace will endure.
1/18/24
It’s early and the sun has just begun to peek out but I’ve been up a while checking on things and painting a bit. The checking hasn’t soothed me most mornings this week but today I found a few glimmers of hope.
The temperature was 20 when I awakened, not a single frigid digit as I’d feared.
Water is still dripping from all the faucets and foam ear plugs are doing a good job of blocking the music of the drips.
I still have electricity and running water.
This storm is much easier than the one of 1994.
We’re through the worst of it.
God is still on His throne and, though this storm disrupted my plans, put me way behind, and piled on the farm work, He has helped me through. In truth, He’s helped us all.
It didn’t feel like help when I took a step down a short slope of what I thought was snow, hit ice, and did an unexpected acrobatic maneuver. When I regained my footing, however, every bone was still intact and I didn’t even have a bruise. All the layers and personal padding protected me, especially my 20 year old Carhartt overalls and jacket.
Let’s talk about those overalls and that jacket. They’re an essential part of my winter gear. I have them because Ryan showed livestock in 4H in high school. And he showed livestock because Belvia Giachelli happened into my clinic one day and suggested Ryan show a pig. And he did. Pigs led to cows (and horses) and cows led to goats and more and more shows in all kinds of weather. I scrambled to keep up, especially in winter, and before long I dressed like all the other livestock parents. In Carhartt.
You may think that’s just a rhythm of life, and it is, but it’s also the grace of God going ahead of me to make a way.
If I listed all the ways the grace of God prompted me in the direction of provision for this storm, the list would go on and on but here’s a few examples.
A couple of weeks ago, the price on gluten-free bread was lower than expected and I felt prompted to buy an extra loaf for my freezer. You can imagine what grocery shelves looked like when I did my storm shopping but no worries here. I already had both bread and milk in the freezer.
As I neared the end of a painting earlier this week, I ran out of yellow paint. With no way to get to a store for more, I had a moment of panic until I remembered a recent gift. My dear friend Cydni Scott cleaned out her art studio and gave me a bunch of supplies. I sorted through the paints and found the exact color of paint I needed.
When I stepped outside to see the snow the first morning, it was quickly evident the white wasn’t snow but a treacherous sheet of slippery ice. After a long and almost-panicked pause, I remember the pair of red ski poles in my walking stick holder. I’ve never skied in my life and I don’t know why I have ski poles, but they were there when I needed them.
Not everyone will see the provision of God in these simple examples, but I do and they bolster my hope. The storm is just a “momentary light affliction.” As 2 Corinthians 4 says, I’ve been pressed but not crushed. Perplexed but not despairing. I have not been abandoned. This little bit of struggle won’t last long in the grand scheme of eternity.
With that hope in mind, I choose to keep my focus on the end goal of heaven and be thankful this storm is just a stop along the road.
What about you? How have you experienced God’s grace this week? Where do you find hope today?
1/17/24
One more Storm Survival Tip:
The first time I attempted to push the wheelbarrow loaded with buckets of water to the barn was an exercise in futility. The load was far too heavy. The ice caused it to slip side to side more than forward.
I didn’t go far before I gave up and trudged to the barn with one bucket at a time. It was hard. I prayer-whined. I wanted to cry but seeing the road was hard enough without adding tears to the mix because the knitted cap under my hood kept slipping down to cover my eyes.
I was miserable and the thought of days of this hard work overwhelmed me.
A little later, though, the Amazing Aubri and her sweet daddy came to help me move the horses into the barn. I don’t even know what to call the vehicle they were driving but it had big tires that cut a deep groove in the snow and ice, but I didn’t see the immense value of that marvel of machinery until later.
After we finished the barn work, Aubri offered to push the wheelbarrow back to the house so I could ride in the Marvel. It made quick work of the task but I STILL didn’t recognize the gift they’d given me.
The next morning, however, I found a marvel wrought by the tires of the Marvelous Machine. Deep grooves in the ice ran from my house all the way to the barn—a perfect narrow path for the wheelbarrow. I pushed the load of water to the barn in one trip—one relatively easy trip.
As I headed back to the house when my barn chores were done, wheel securely in the marvelous groove, I was reminded of the difference between the broad road and the narrow path in Scripture. My broad road was impossible to navigate safely or effectively. But oh the difference of the narrow path. Safe. Secure. Efficient. Direct to the destination.
Proverbs 14:12 tells us there’s a way that seems right but leads to destruction and Matthew 7:13-14 says the road that leads to life is narrow and seldom chosen. It’s not an “American dream” kind of path, but it’s worth it.
Wheelbarrow in the groove, I’m choosing the narrow path—in the storm’s aftermath and in life. Which path do you choose?
1/16/24
I’m back with another Storm Survival Tip and it’s a good tip for life, too. When I got to the barn yesterday, I realized the barn doors were frozen/stuck closed. There was no way I could open those doors to get the horses in the barn and into their stalls.
My first thought was “Why didn’t I take care of this yesterday?” wasted a little time on regret but it was way too cold for much of that. Instead, I grabbed a shovel and started praying and digging. It took a few minutes and I worked up a sweat, but I managed to get the doors freed enough to open them.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve wasted way too much time on regret. You probably know how it is — the results of the decision you made didn’t turn out quite like you thought it would and it made life harder or hurtful. It’s easy to get mired down in what-ifs and whys but that won’t get the barn doors open or improve the situation. If we admit our mistake and let it go, we can get right back on the path.
Isn’t that what God does when we confess and repent? Removes our sin. Remembers it no more. I’m all about learning from experience but let’s give ourselves a bit of the grace God does, let go of “why didn’t I?” and “”what if”, make any needed adjustments (and apologies where appropriate) and press on.
As Johnny Farris says, “Never quit.”
1/15/24
second tip
One more Sleet-Mageddon survival tip. If the only gloves you can find for farm work are velvet, no worries. Slip your nitrile painting/exam gloves over them. Instant waterproofing and better grip.
But those velvet gloves…they’re my favorite going-to-church-in-snow gloves. Just a little precious.
I’m resting after hauling water, scooping out feed, and getting stalls ready for the horses, and I have to ask myself a hard question. Why were velvet gloves almost too precious to use for essential and potentially horse-life-saving work? Maybe I need to take a closer look at what I cherish and compare it to what really matters.
Today, whether we’re working outside or snuggled up in the warm, let’s take time to consider what is truly precious and what’s really just a helpful tool in a pinch.
Use the gloves.
1/15/24
First storm post:
I’m very grateful this was not a repeat of the 1994 winter storm. No electricity or running water for more than two weeks. It was serious work. But the lessons I learned have been a big help this time.
I’m grateful for that storm because it prepared me for this one.
I’ve had a few storms in my life, like almost everyone else. I didn’t love them at the time and I surely wasn’t grateful but oh what a help the lessons were down the road! Looking back, I wish I had understood the blessing of giving thanks IN all things.
So today, despite the fact that I’m hauling water again and using my big ax to break up the ice in the horses’ water trough again, I’m spending a few minutes giving thanks for this storm because of what I’ll learn from it.
First, I’m grateful for my big ax…
For what are you giving thanks in the storm today?
Today’s Encouragement: Fruit in Season
Trees don’t bear non-stop fruit but take time to grow, mature, flower, and be pollinated. Are you in a growing season? Take full advantage of the opportunity, for the fruit to come will be better for it. #faithlivedoutloud
While you’re here, check out these blog posts:
How to Trust God in Hard Times
What Does it Mean to Be Beloved?
What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus?
Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride
Thanks for sharing your time with us today. Before you go…
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Today’s Encouragement: The Lord Knows our Way
Take comfort in this today: Our path is known…we’re never misplaced, forgotten, or overlooked, even on our darkest and most difficult days. #faithlivedoutloud
Today’s Encouragement: The Lifter of My Head
Have you ever needed a shield or someone to lift your head when you were downcast? We know the truth of this verse. What about you? #faithlivedoutloud
Today’s Encouragement: Like a Tree by Streams of Water 
A good goal for life. “How blessed is the man…He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither, and in whatever he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3 #faithlivedoutloud
Today’s Encouragement: Commit Your Way to the Lord
Psalm 1:6 tells us the Lord knows the way of the righteous. No matter how dark our days or how difficult our circumstances He knows us, our situations, and our struggles. Let’s share some praise. How has God shown Himself to you when you felt alone or forgotten?
Today’s Encouragement: Rest in the Lord
Today’s Encouragement: Delight in the Lord
Rather than a promise of prosperity or the expectation of obtaining anything the world offers, this verse speaks of a heart change. When we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will knit our hearts with His so that our desires are His desires. When we want what He wants, we can be sure He will give us the desires of our hearts. #faithlivedoutloudToday’s Encouragement:
Psalm 28:7 says, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” Ponder David’s words for a moment. We’re all about the “strength and shield” and the “helps me,” part but don’t miss the second part of this verse. Instead of accepting God’s help as expected or something owed us, do our hearts leap for joy when God strengthens and shields us? Do we give Him thanks and praise for His help? Let’s take time today to give Him praise and honor for all His blessings. Let’s encourage each other by sharing some of our recent blessings in the comments below. #faithlivedoutloud #praybig #powerfulprayer
Today’s Encouragement: The Source of Help
You might also enjoy reading: How to Trust God in Hard Times
While you’re here, check out these blog posts:
What Four Days of Digital Silence Taught Me About Myself
What Does it Mean to Be Beloved?
What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus?
Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride
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Today’s Encouragement: The Source of Strength
Today’s Encouragement: Embrace the Silence
While you’re here, check out these blog posts:
What Four Days of Digital Silence Taught Me About Myself
How to Trust God in Hard Times
What Does it Mean to Be Beloved?
What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus?
Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride
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Today’s Encouragement: Hide His Word in Your Heart
Powerful prayers start with the Word of God. It’s why Scripturememorization is so important. When we know God’s promises and His ways, we can pray accordingly and, when we pray what God’s promised, we can be sure He will do it. Promise prayers are a great way to gain answered prayers.
What prayer promise are you praying today?
Want to learn more about Scripture memorization? We have great articles to help. Check them out here:
How to Memorize Scripture: 3 Easy Steps
Why Scripture Memorization Matters
While you’re here, check out these blog posts:
How to Trust God in Hard Times
What Does it Mean to Be Beloved?
What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus?
Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride
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Today’s Encouragement: Teach Us to Pray
Want to know Christ better? What to serve Him more? Ask as the disciples did, “Lord, teach me to pray.”
Be sure to check out our Prayer Resource Page to learn more about how to pray.
While you’re here, check out these blog posts:
How to Trust God in Hard Times
What Does it Mean to Be Beloved?
What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus?
Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride
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Today’s Encouragement: Addiction
Are you praying for someone who struggles with addiction? Are you discouraged? Ready to give up? Take heart. Jesus came to set the captives free and He still sets people free. Want a bit of encouragement? Read one woman’s story of God’s deliverance from the seemingly unbreakable bonds of drug addiction here: Transformed by Christ: Up Close and Personal
Today’s Encouragement: Don’t Stop Praying
God doesn’t promise the quick, one-time prayer will accomplish much but the fervent, effectual prayer. What kind of prayers do you pray?
Are you praying about something near and dear to your heart? It’s not time to quit praying, no matter how long you’ve been at it. Pray big and don’t quit.
While you’re here, check out these blog posts:
How to Trust God in Hard Times
What Does it Mean to Be Beloved?
What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus?
Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride
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Today’s Encouragement: Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria
You don’t have to go around the globe to fulfill the Great Commission. Opportunities abound in your local community. When we serve those in need of the love of Christ, we are doing missions. Need suggestions for local community outreach? Check out our Community Outreach Resource Page for suggestions.
Today’s Encouragement: Ends of the Earth
If this beautiful picture of women in Africa fits your image of missions, you’re not wrong. Jesus commanded us to go to the ends of the earth. Want to partner with good and godly work in an “end of the earth” nation? We can help. Check out Global Outreach’s website for opportunities to serve.
Today’s Encouragement: Who Will Go?
Our topic this week is missions. How have you been involved in missions? Would you like to do more? We have lots of opportunities and would love to connect with you. Contact us for more information. Click here to connect.
While you’re here, check out these blog posts:
How to Trust God in Hard Times
What Does it Mean to Be Beloved?
What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus?
Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride
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Today’s Encouragement: God’s Power
Today’s Encouragement:
Waiting isn’t easy, especially in a culture of entitlement such as our American culture. We want what we want when we want it, don’t we? Scripture, however, shows us a different path. We find great blessing in waiting as we learn to look to and lean on our Lord.
Today’s Encouragement: My Hope is in You
Our world is loaded with places to put our truth and hope…anything from material wealth to personal strength…but those are all doomed to fail. Only when we put our trust in God can we be assured it is well placed for He will never leave us nor forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5,6) Our God loves and helps us in our time of need.
Today’s Encouragement: Hope does not disappoint
Our topic this week is HOPE and today’s verse comes from Romans 5. “And not only this, but we also exult In our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance, and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint because the love of God is poured out within our hearts.” Romans 5:3-5
Most of us love the part about hope. Because of the love of God poured out in our hearts, hope in Him does not disappoint. The two verses before Romans 5:5 are a hard dose to swallow though, aren’t they? We want hope without the hard, but that’s not what God promises. He offers hope IN the hard.
Are you in a season of hard? If so, experience the love of God in a fresh way today. Dig into Scripture, find a promise of God, and hold to it. Let it see you through.
While you’re here, check out these blog posts:
How to Trust God in Hard Times
What Does it Mean to Be Beloved?
What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus?
Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride
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Today’s Encouragement: The Fruit of Joy
Joy. We sometimes consider joy one of the fruitS of the Spirit but “fruit” includes everything listed in Galatians 5:22,23. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control. When we belong to Jesus and choose His ways rather than our own, we can have all the fruit. For today, let’s focus on all the joy and ponder how embracing joy might give us a more abundant life. No matter our circumstances. Choose joy.
While you’re here, check out these blog posts:
How to Trust God in Hard Times
What Does it Mean to Be Beloved?
What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus?
Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride
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Today’s Encouragement: Consider it all joy
Our first response to a difficult trial is not to rejoice, is it? James’ passage about trials is surprising, however. He says we should rejoice when we encounter various trials because they are, in reality, opportunities to become more like Jesus. Trials test our faith, which produces endurance. The “perfect result” of endurance makes us “perfect and complete,” or mature.
Hard times help us grow up in faith and make us more like Jesus and that is cause for rejoicing. Are you going through a hard time? Take a moment to thank God for using the hard time to make you more like Him.
Today’s Encouragement: The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength
Here’s a bit of a paradox. We tend to think our strength likes in physical, military, or financial power. Instead, Scripture tells us real strength comes from the joy of the Lord in our hearts. Wondering how this is possible? When we find our joy in Him, rather than the ways of the world, we are strengthened to make wiser choices and live in more godly ways. The joy of the Lord gives us strength of character and that strength infuses everything part of our lives. The joy of the Lord really is our strength.
While you’re here, check out these blog posts:
How to Trust God in Hard Times
What Does it Mean to Be Beloved?
What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus?
Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride
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Today’s Encouragement: Choose Joy!
Joy doesn’t just happen, especially when life is hard. It comes as a result of a choice we make and is a fruit of that choice. When we follow Jesus and allow the work of the Spirit in our lives, He produces joy as one of the fruit. Our first choice is to follow Jesus. As we follow, we also choose joy, no matter our circumstances. What about your circumstances? Will you take your focus on the circumstances, place your focus on Jesus, and choose joy today?
Today’s Encouragement: Walk in the Light
Scripture tells us Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness of this world. No matter how hard the darkness of evil tries, it cannot overcome it. The light of Christ illuminates our hearts and our lives and makes us “children of the light.” As followers of Jesus, we no longer walk in darkness. We must walk in the light.
While you’re here, check out these blog posts:
How to Trust God in Hard Times
What Does it Mean to Be Beloved?
What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus?
Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride
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Today’s Encouragement: God’s Word Lights Your Way
When we face a difficult decision and don’t know what to do, we need to look no further than God’s Word for answers. The Psalmist tells us God’s Word is like a lamp in a dark place. It illuminates the path and helps us take the next step.
Do you need answers today? God’s Word has them. Dig in and keep reading until you find His answer for you today and His light for your path.
Today’s Encouragement: Let Your Light Shine
Today’s Encouragement: Love Lives in Light
Scripture makes a clear distinction between light and darkness. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. His love is light and we should be, too. Unfortunately, darkness holds an appeals to us, but we can’t have it both ways. We can’t walk in the darkness and live in the light. It’s a choice we all must make. Which will you choose? A bit of darkness or the glorious light of God’s love?
While you’re here, check out these blog posts:
How to Trust God in Hard Times
What Does it Mean to Be Beloved?
What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus?
Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride
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Today’s Encouragement: God is Light
Today’s Encouragement: You are loved
Want to know more? Check out this article: What Does God Is Love mean?
While you’re here, check out these blog posts:
How to Trust God in Hard Times
What Does it Mean to Be Beloved?
What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus?
Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride
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Today’s Encouragement: Scripture memorization is worth it
Among all the spiritual disciplines, there may be none more important than Scripture memorization. God speaks to us through Scripture and, when we hide His Word in our hearts, the Holy Spirit will remind us of the truth we need when we face trials or temptation. Learn more here: Why Does Scripture Memorization Matter?
While you’re here, check out these blog posts:
How to Trust God in Hard Times
What Does it Mean to Be Beloved?
What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus?
Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride
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Today’s Encouragement: How to Prepare for Eternity
We hear this question a lot: Are we living in the last days? The answer is pretty simple. We’re a lot closer to the last day than we were when Jesus ascended into heaven but no one knows when He’s coming back except Father God. In the meanwhile, we can prepare for eternity with two simple and basic steps: Study the Bible. Do what it says.
Want to learn more? Read this article:
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Today’s Encouragement: Listen for the Gentle Whisper
How well do you hear the still, small voice of God? Want to learn to hear Him clearly? Join us for this year’s Whisper Gathering, October 20-22, 2022. We’ve helped hundreds of women learn to listen for His Gentle Whisper. Learn more here: https://www.whispergathering.com/upcoming-events.html
Today’s Encouragement: Love your enemies…
Who do you consider an enemy? Why not take a few moments to pray for them and choose to bless them with the love of God. Pray big, even when it’s hard.
We’d love to pray for you. Send your prayer requests via our connect form HERE.
Want to read more? Keep reading or check out these blog posts:
Harbinger of Hope: Springtime Daffodils
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Today’s Encouragement: The Light Still Shines
One of the most beautiful descriptions of Jesus in Scripture is found in John 1. We’re especially fond of these words:
“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.” John 1:4,5
The word translated as “overcome” is sometimes translated as “understand.” We believe both are accurate as darkness doesn’t understand light, neither its beauty nor its power. It’s the darkness in us that causes us to miss the beautiful light and power of Christ. Once that beautiful life-giving light enters our hearts, however, it changes everything. Light. Life. Love. Power.
How have you experienced the life-giving light of Christ? In what areas of your life do you need more light? More power?
We’d love to pray for you. Send your prayer requests via our connect form HERE.
Want to read more? Keep reading or check out these blog posts:
Harbinger of Hope: Springtime Daffodils
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Don’t Stop Praying:
Our ministry partners near Ukraine relentlessly provide care and provisions for those still in their war-torn nation as well as for refugees who have fled. They need our prayers even more now than they did when the war began. Today, let’s pray big and without ceasing. Pray does make a difference. #praybig #faithlivedoutloud
Check out our “How to Pray for Ukraine and Eastern Europe” prayer guide.
Want more information on how to pray? Check out…
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Today’s Encouragement: God’s paths are best
The word translated as “path” in Psalm 24:4 suggests a well-traveled road. When we walk the path of God, we’re not the first and we certainly won’t be the last.
Scripture tells us God’s path is the path of life, uprightness, and righteousness. It is both attended and directed by God Himself. In His presence is joy and pleasures forever, and we can expect joy on His path as well.
“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” Proverbs 4:18
The path of God is like the light of dawn. Ponder the light of dawn for a moment.
The first glimmer of light as the sun begins to rise grows brighter with time until it’s a shining orb in the sky, giving light to all within its rays.
The path of God is the same. Our first step onto the path may seem like a step into a dark and uncertain way and as if we have only enough light for the first step. As our journey progresses and we learn God’s ways, we move into more and more light. When we know His ways, it’s easier to recognize the next step on His path and why discipleship is so important. The more we study, the more we learn of Him, the greater the light of understanding and the easier it is to follow.
What about you? How have you experienced the path of God? We’d love to hear from you. You can connect here: Connect with us.
Want to read more? Check out these resources and articles:
Discipleship Resources for Living the Christian Life
How to Trust God in Hard Times
The Benefits of Repentance and Why Repentance Matters
Today’s Encouragement: You are known, seen, and loved
We’re savoring this truth today: We are all fearfully and wonderfully made by the One who knew us before we were formed, sees us still, and loves us anyway. Today’s a good day to read Psalm 139 and bask in the love of our Father.
You can read it from the link but here are a few of our favorite verses from Psalm 139:
Lord, You have searched me and known me…
when I sit down and when I get up, You understand my thought from far away…scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways. Psalm 139:1-3
For You created my innermost parts,
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:13
Your eyes have seen my formless substance;
And in Your book were written
All the days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts for me, God! How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You. Psalm 139:16-18
~~~~~~
Want to read more? Check out these posts:
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A Safe Refuge
Psalm 91:4 is one of our favorite verses. “He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge. His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” Just as a mama bird covers her babies to protect and shelter them from any danger that comes their way, so too our Lord covers and protects His own.
We can count on Him to be a safe place, to protect and cover us. Nothing gets past His powerful shield unless He allows it and He can be trusted to do what’s best.
We wonder, though…can He count on us to be a safe place for the vulnerable, to protect and cover those in need of shelter and safety? This world is a dark and hard place for many. Today, let’s thank God for His protection and strive to give the same protection to those who need it most.
Thanks for sharing your time with us today. Before you go…
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Today’s Encouragement: Look at the Birds…
If you struggle with knowing whether or not God cares for you, you’re not alone. We hear from lots of people who feel disconnected from God. They often ask, “Does God care about me?”
Scripture tells us we need to look no further than the wildflowers and the little sparrows to see how generously He cares for all His creation. If He cares for birds, the Bible tells, and He does, He also cares for you.
James 4:8 tells us to “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” In order words, if we do what it takes to be close to God, (praise/thanksgiving/repentance) we will soon find He is closer to us than ever before. God’s care, however, is not dependent upon how we feel. We know He cares for us because He says He does and He does not lie.
God cares for you. It’s a truth you can depend on today.
How have you seen God’s tender care? We’d love to hear from you. Use the contact form to share your story.
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He Cares for You
He cares for you. Ponder the implication of that profound truth for a moment. The Creator of the Universe, Lord of Lords, King of Kings, Savior of all who will come, knows and cares for you. You are loved by God and He cares about the things that concern you.
Your dwindling finances? He cares. Your strained relationships? He cares.Uncertainty about decisions or next steps? He cares.
You can throw all your worries, fears, and anxieties His direction and He will not only catch them, He’ll help you through them and deal with them–because He is not only our King, He’s also our loving Father.
He cares for you and that care makes all the difference. Why not unload your anxieties at the cross and leave them with the One who has the power to intervene, no matter the situation.
He cares for you and it changes everything.
Want to read more?
Check out these articles:
What Does God is Love Mean?
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Today’s Encouragement: Ready for Change?
Need a fresh start? Ready to live an abundant life? Today’s Encouragement can help. Check out this blog post for more information: How to Make A Fresh Start
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Persevere in Prayer 
When we consider how long WWI and WWII lasted (four years and six years respectively) the war in Ukraine hasn’t lasted long. To those in the midst of battle, however, it’s been forever. For those who are refugees or caring for refugees, it probably feels like an eternity. They need our prayers more than ever. If you can give, do. If you can go to help in person, do. One thing we can all do is pray, so pray big. Here’s a prayer guide to help you as you pray for Ukraine.
How to Pray Scripture for Ukraine and Eastern Europe
The Secret of Renewed Youth
We found the secret of renewed youth and it’s probably not what you expect. No injections, surgery, or uncomfortable treatments. Instead, renewed youth is one of the twelve benefits of repentance. Want a fresh feel? A younger look? We don’t promise you’ll look years younger, but “He renews our youth like an eagle” sounds pretty good to us. Check out this blog post for more information on The Benefits of Repentance and Why Repentance Matters.
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Today’s Encouragement: Love with Abandon
When Jesus said, “love your neighbor as you love yourself,” He didn’t add any qualifiers. No “love if’s…” Whether you like your neighbor, understand his or her life choices, or enjoy their company. Love anyway–because that’s how God loves us.
Want to know more? Check out:
Should You Love your Neighbor if you don’t like him?
Discipleship: Doing what Jesus Did
While you’re here, sign up for our free Clean Heart Bible study and our twice-monthly email.
Freedom in Christ
The empty tomb is more than an unoccupied space. It’s a symbol of Jesus’ victory over sin and death and His power to grant freedom from the tyranny of sin in our lives. His freedom is ours for the asking, but we must choose victory over defeat, righteousness over sin, His ways over those of the world. Will we be free? We must decide.
Want to read a little more? Here are a few articles you might enjoy…
What Does Freedom in Christ Mean + How to Be Set Free From Sin
Should you love your neighbor if you don’t like him?
What Does He Must Increase and I Must Decrease Mean?
While you’re here, sign up for our free Clean Heart Bible study and our twice-monthly email.
Easter Weekend Devotionals
What’s good about Good Friday? The cross wasn’t the end. To read more, check out our blog posts and our Easter Weekend Devotionals for Good Friday, Silent Saturday, and Resurrection Sunday. How can our team pray for you today? Feel free to contact us.
https://leannahollis.com/whats-good-about-good-friday/
https://leannahollis.com/easter-weekend-devotionals/
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Today’s Encouragement
Our goal for today: Less of me. More of Him. His will and His way. Today’s Holy Week post is about the Judas rock and how easily the path of the betrayer can touch us all. To keep reading, click here: How Are We Like Judas?
Want to read a little more? Here are a few articles you might enjoy…
Should you love your neighbor if you don’t like him?
What Does He Must Increase and I Must Decrease Mean?
Discipleship: Doing what Jesus did
While you’re here, sign up for our free Clean Heart Bible study and our twice-monthly email.
What does Freedom in Christ Mean?
The third article in our Holy Week series answers two questions:
- What does freedom in Christ mean?
- How can we be set free from sin?
Jesus broke the power of sin with His death and resurrection. We can be free but we must choose to be free and take the steps necessary to stay free. You can read more about freedom in Christ and the steps to help you stay free here: What Does Freedom in Christ Mean and How to Be Set Free from Sin?
Today’s Encouragement: Share the Love of Jesus
Come as you are. That’s how we came to Jesus but He loved us too much to leave us as we were. Instead, He washed our sins white as snow, forgave us, loved us, and taught us how to love and serve as He does.
Because He loves the world and everyone in it and is not willing for any to perish (2 Peter 3:9), we should love and care in the same way–toward everyone. Even those people we don’t like or think are beyond hope. No one is beyond the love of God. Not even the worst of us.
Scripture tells us there is rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents. (Luke 15:7) Imagine the celebration in heaven when someone gives up their sin and embraces God’s righteousness. Yeah. Big fun. Want to help throw a “rejoicing party” for those already in heaven? Tell someone about Jesus and all He’s done for you today.
The church word is evangelism, but we prefer the idea of one beggar telling another beggar where to find the bread of life. Want to know how? We can help with this helpful guide to evangelism when it’s hard or uncomfortable: Seven Evangelism Truths Every Christian Needs to Know
Want more? Sign up for our free Clean Heart Bible study and our twice-monthly email.
Make a Difference Today: Pray Big
If we understood the difference our prayers could make, we’d likely pray bigger. With more fervor. More faithfulness. We’d expect more and watch with anticipation for God to move.
James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote wise words about intercession. “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16) We can make a difference, and we must.
- In the war in Ukraine
- For the lives of refugees
- As people struggle to help those who have lost so much
Make a difference today. Pray big and pray with anticipation. God still answers prayers.
Whiter than snow…
If we understood how precious it is to have our sins forgiven and our hearts cleansed, we’d rush to repentance and long to be whiter than snow.
Want to know more about repentance? We have a free 5-day email Bible study focused on Psalm 51. You can sign up for the study and our e-newsletter here: Clean Heart Study
The Disciple Life:
Today’s Encouragement: Pray BIG
James, the half-brother of Jesus, grew up watching his older brother live out the reality of a sinless life, wholly dedicated to God. He knew how to talk with God because he literally talked with the God-Man Jesus every day of his young life.
When James finally recognized Jesus as Messiah and Lord, he was all-in. He didn’t waste time with doubt because he knew with certainty who Jesus was and what He could do. James understood the Father because he knew the son so well.
We need not bother with the futility of doubt because we serve a God who loves us enough to die for us. He is able to answer every prayer we pray and meet every need.
Are you struggling today? Take it to God in faith and watch with anticipation as He answers when you pray. #faithlivedoutloud #praybig
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Vines and Branches:
Branches and vines. It may seem an odd topic for the last few hours of Jesus’ time with His disciples. Events on the night He was betrayed and arrested began with the Passover meal during which He wrapped Himself in the white apron of a servant and washed the feet of His disciples. It was an act of supreme humility and scandalous work for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. After the meal, Jesus reminded his disciples of the hard truth they didn’t want to know. Things were about to change. Death and separation waited for him a few hours ahead.
“Arise, let us go from here,” Jesus said, (John 14:31) and He and His disciples headed toward Gethsemane. Their walking journey took them past the temple doors, plated with gold and adorned with elaborate golden vines and fruit. He likely pointed to the beautiful golden vines as He said these words:
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser… every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit….You are the branches; He who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me, you can do nothing.” John 15:1, 5
Fruit doesn’t happen by accident.
Whether the branch is an actual branch attached to a grapevine or a metaphorical branch attached to the vine of Jesus, care is required. Pruning, plant nutrients, and sunlight are only the beginning for the vinedresser who wants to grow lush grapes.
For the disciple who wants to bear lush fruit, repentance, time in God’s Word, prayer, and God-directed service are the starting point.
Want to be the best branch you can be today? Slow down. Evaluate your heart and repent where needed. Spend time in His Word. Do what He says. Share His love in word and deed.
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We’re glad you stopped by. While you’re here, take a moment to sign up for our twice-monthly email. You’ll receive exclusive stories, freebies, and more.
Want to read a little more? Here are a few articles you might enjoy…
Should you love your neighbor if you don’t like him?
What Does He Must Increase and I Must Decrease Mean?
Discipleship: Doing what Jesus did
A Good Day to Rejoice:
Encouraging Scripture for Today:
Prayer.
It’s not a recitation of a set of proscribed words but a conversation with God, the One who knows us and loves us anyway. Conversation requires interaction from both parties. We hear from God and we speak with God. Our words are not the most important part.
Prayer, at its best, begins with God. How? The Bible, God’s Word, is a significant piece of God’s part of the conversation. We begin in the Bible and ask God to speak to us through His Word as we read and ponder.
Our part is simple. We come to Him as we are and ask God to make us more like Him. (The “church lingo words” are confession and repentance.) Next, we tell Him our concerns and our needs. (The church word here is petition.) God knows our needs already, but He wants us to bring them to Him, partly because, in telling Him about our needs and asking Him to help, we choose to trust Him with them.
Trust.
The word translated as “trust” in the Bible means to “throw down.” The word picture is that of throwing ourselves (or someone) on the ground, on our back. Imagine that for a moment. It’s a vulnerable, helpless position, isn’t it?
When we trust God with our troubles, we, in a way, throw them down, on their back, at the feet of God. It’s a way of saying, “I’m done with this, God. You take it. I trust you to do something with this. Something good.”
Hope.
Hope is both a noun and a verb. It’s the expectation and anticipation of a positive and desired outcome. When we pray and give our concerns to God in trust, we also hope for a desired and favorable outcome.
Here’s good news: Trust in God is well placed. Scripture tells us He will not disappoint us or put us to shame. He may not do things the way we want them done, but He will do them the best way and accomplish His plan for us.
Pray. Trust. Hope. We can move from desperation to peace in three quick steps if we seek God, trust Him with all that concerns us, and put our hope in Him.
“In You our fathers trusted; they trusted, and You delivered them. To You they cried and were rescued; in You they trusted and were not put to shame.” Psalm 22:4,5 esv
How can we pray for you today? We’re glad you visited us for today’s encouragement and we’d love to hear from you. Comment or message us here: Let’s connect!
Want to know more about trusting God? Check out this article: How to Trust God in Hard Times
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Today’s Encouragement:
In a time when hope is often in short supply, here’s some good news. God has a plan and it’s not only a good plan, it’s full of hope.
This verse was written to people who were captured by an invading army and now lived in exile far from home. Life was nothing like what they wanted or hoped. You can probably imagine how they felt. Dejected. Forgotten. Afraid. Alone.
Now imagine what these words, delivered by the prophet Jeremiah, meant to them. They weren’t forgotten. God had a plan and it was good. What they experienced today was not the end. Their future might not look like it yet, but hope and blessing waited on the other side.
Do you feel like the exiles did?
Dejected? Forgotten? Afraid? Alone? Take hope in God’s truth. Today is not the end. He has a plan and it’s good. You can have the beautiful future He designed when you put your trust in Him.
How can we pray for you today? We’d love to hear from you. Comment or message us here: Let’s connect!
Want to know more about God’s plan for your life? How to Have a Blessed Life
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Encouragement for today:
“Keep me as the apple of Your eye. Hide me in the shelter of Your wings… Psalm 17:8
The word translated as “keep” means considerably more than to store something for later use. The picture this word conveys is that of a gardener tending a beloved garden or a shepherd “keeping” or caring for his flock. It implies close attention to every detail, protection, and tender, loving care.
When we ask God to “keep us as the apple of His eye,” we ask Him to watch over us, provide for our needs, protect us, and care for us both tenderly and carefully.
Have you ever seen a mother hen with her chicks? If she senses danger, she gathers her chicks and hides them under her wings. They are enclosed, close to her heart, sheltered by her wings, safe from the enemy. So, too, we ask God to enclose us with the shelter of His wings. Protect us from all our enemies, whether from our own struggles or those who would wish to harm us. Keep us close to His heart and near to Him.
Hidden and safe
As the wild violet is hidden in the leaf litter of the forest, so our lives can be kept and hidden in the shelter of His wings where we are loved, cared for, and safe.
For those who struggle with dangers both within and without, who bear unimaginable burdens today, we pray for shelter under the wings of the Almighty, for peace, hope, and a profound sense of how loved you are.
We’re glad you stopped to check out our encouraging Scripture for today. How can we pray for you today? We’d love to hear from you. Comment or message us here: Let’s connect!
Want to know more about God’s love? Start here: What Does God is Love Mean?
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Moldable in the Master’s Hand:
This verse spoke to us during our first pottery lesson more than twenty years ago. The miraculous process of whirling clay on a wheel, pressed and pulled as it spun, transformed into vessels of beauty stunned us.
When we tried our hand, it didn’t go so well and we soon learned the difference between a master potter and a novice. The master potter knows how much pressure is needed to accomplish his plan. The novice is as apt to send clay flying across the room as to actually form something usable.
It’s the same in life. God molds us in exactly the right way at exactly the right time to transform mere lumps of human clay into vessels of beauty designed to glorify and honor God.
The process isn’t usually fun and we seldom appreciate it in the midst of the molding, but how sweet it is when the work is done. (Personal experience speaking here. It took a lot of molding to get us where we are today…and He’s not done yet.)
What about you?
How have you seen God at work, molding your heart and life into what He intended? Are you in the midst of the process? Take heart. It doesn’t last forever. If you’re on the other side of the molding, celebrate the work of God and the vessel you’ve become.
We’d love to hear from you. Comment or message us here: Let’s connect!
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Don’t leave without checking out our How to Pray Scripture for Ukraine and Eastern Europe prayer guide and our blog page.
Today’s Encouragement:
“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.” Psalm 20:7
Psalm 20, a prayer for the king, was written by David and reads almost as if David answered the question, “how can I pray for you?” with a psalm. Some commentators believe it was written in anticipation of an upcoming battle. The preceding verses ask God for protection and for His presence as well as for victory.
David’s response is one of affirmation and adoration. He understood the battle was not His, but God’s when he fought and defeated Goliath and he still understands it, years later. Some men put their trust in worldly weapons of war but David’s trust is in God alone.
Where David described the weapons of war as horses and chariots, we might list nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, hired mercenaries, and assassins, or tanks and missiles. If we are to paraphrase this verse for today’s circumstances, we might say, “Some men put their trust in the advanced weaponry of the 21st century but we will put our trust and boast in the name of the Lord, our God.”
Pause to ponder…
Consider the words of Psalm 20 for a moment. Our trust is not in the things of this world but in God. If so, our expectations must not be those of the world, either. Instead, we seek heavenly assistance and intervention to yield a heavenly deliverance. Rather than focus on brick and mortar, our focus is on the hearts and lives of men, women, and children involved in this mortal battle.
As we pray for those involved in the war in Ukraine, let us focus our prayers on protection for those who remain in danger, peace and healing for those who have fled, and clear direction for those who have not yet found a resting place. May our goal be more than a fragile peace; instead, may we seek the lasting peace of heart and soul only God’s grace and mercy can give.
Let us also pray for those involved in non-military struggles, whether it be a single mother in rural America who struggles to provide for her children or an addict who battles addiction and longs to be free.
How can we pray for you today? Feel free to send us a prayer request.
Here’s a guide to help you pray powerful prayers for Ukraine and Eastern Europe
For additional assistance with prayer, check out our Prayer Resource Page where you’ll find information on how to pray, how to become a Christian, how to set up prayer stations, blogs on prayer, and more.
You might also enjoy reading How to Pray the News
If you enjoy Today’s Encouragement, please consider joining our twice-monthly newsletter group to receive exclusive stories and more. #faithlivedoutloud #praybig
Encouragement for Today:
For those who put their trust in God, hope is more than a good feeling or a positive vibe. Hope is the rock-solid expectation and anticipation of God at work in our lives and in the circumstances which concern us. We may wish for worldly things, but at its best, hope anticipates and expects God’s will and His ways. We hope for whatever He deems best.
Our verse today comes from a hard but encouraging passage in Romans 5. When we’re justified by faith, we receive peace with God. As a result, we hope in the glory of God. In a way, we keep our hope fixed on eternity and, at the same time, on the circumstances of life, including those circumstances in which we suffer.
We do more than hope, however.
We rejoice in suffering because hard times teach us endurance, which produces character. In the agony of suffering, we learn to hope in God as we experience His love poured out in our hearts, along with His peace, provision, protection, and joy.
Faith. Endurance. Character. Hope. Love. We may not like suffering, but how precious are the results when we let God do His beautiful work in us.
Today many people are suffering, both in the United States and around the world. Whether they suffer as a result of war, sickness, poverty, or personal conflict, it can bring about endurance, character, and hope. How? When we allow God’s love to work in us, He changes beauty to ashes and makes all things new.
For most of us, today is not how our story ends but how we respond to today’s events can impact our tomorrow in significant ways. No matter what we face, let’s approach it with faith in God, confidence in His ways, and hope in His good plan. #faithlivedoutloud
Encouraging Scripture for today:
We may look at the destruction of stone and mortar and wonder about the provision of God, the protection of God. His promises, though, are not for mortar and stone but for flesh and blood people. His people.
We see God’s provision in the many aid workers at the borders, ready to welcome refugees to safety, the donations pouring in to provide for them, and the homes open to strangers. God’s beautiful provision is personal and delivered individually. One terrorized child, distraught mama, and exhausted defender at a time.
Today, let’s move our focus from the piles of rubble to the pervading peace and provision poured out in so many ways. If we seek Him first, He’ll take care of all the rest.
Here’s a prayer guide for Ukraine and a few blog posts you might also enjoy:
Prayer guide for Ukraine
Today, choose peace:
If you feel torn, frustrated, confused, angry, and heartbroken about the devastation in Ukraine, we get it. If images of refugees desperate to make their way out of cities reduced to piles of rubble break your heart, we’re right there with you. Evil is real, ugly, and mean and it forces us to grapple with the big questions of life. Keep reading, though, because we have encouragement for today.
Where is God in all these atrocities?
He’s right there. We see him in the gentle hands of volunteers greeting refugees as they stumble across the border. In the generosity of people on the other side of the world sending funds to purchase basic supplies for those who have lost everything. God is evident in the millions of people on their knees, on their faces, praying with all their might.
Why does He allow war?
God allows us the free will to choose our actions. We decide if they will be godly or wicked actions. He may not like our decisions, but God allows us the choice we make, knowing there will be consequences and they will sometimes be hurtful to others.
He is present and active both in peacetime and in war. Nothing in the last few decades has forced us to our knees more than the war in Ukraine. God didn’t cause this war but He has used it to draw us back to Him in a deeper way. He’s brought comfort and peace to mothers running for their lives with their children while their husbands stay behind to fight. God positioned relief organizations close enough to the border to be there when the first desperate people made their way across. He’s there.
Why can’t we have peace?
Peace is an internal attribute and cannot be conveyed by an executive edict or a legislative decision. Peace comes from the firm assurance in the truth of God’s Word and the faithfulness of His promises…
Thanks for sharing some of your time with Today’s Encouragement. We’re glad you’re here.
Click on these links to read more about the Promises of God and How to Trust God in Hard Times
Encouragement for Today:
When our wisdom and our plans fail, God remains. Sovereign. True. Faithful. The turning point often comes when we finally reach the place of desperation and surrender. Those I’m-not-in-charge-but-God-is places lift the burden of responsibility for a problem too big for us to solve. Often, they’re the beginning of the solution we hoped to find in our own resources because we come to the end of ourselves and cry out, “Not my will, but Yours be done, O God.”
In what areas are you desperate for relief? Maybe It’s time to pray the prayer that never fails…”Your will and your way, O God.”
Thanks for stopping by Today’s Encouragement. You might also want to read: How to Trust God in Hard Times
What Does He Must Increase and I Must Decrease Mean?
Today’s Scripture Encouragement:
Hospitality to strangers. It sounds hard (and maybe outside our comfort zones) but many in Eastern Europe are showing us the beauty of hospitality. As mothers and children escape the war in Ukraine with little more than the clothes on their backs, we’ve watched with amazement as citizens of surrounding countries welcome them in, give them food and shelter, and either help them to their next destination or help them settle where they’ve landed. We’ve seen open-hearted love in action, and it’s a beautiful sight.”Do not neglect to show” might also be said: “do it and don’t stop.” Soon, these same refugees will need more permanent housing, jobs, and community. Rebuilding Ukraine will take years, if not decades. The refugees will need to build new lives in their new locations. May they be as welcome a year from now as they are today.
We have to wonder…would we be as welcoming as those in Eastern Europe have been? Would we open our homes with unconditional hospitality and love? Based on our verse for today, Hebrews 13:2, we also wonder…has our lack of hospitality in the past caused us to miss entertaining angels?
How can we show hospitality to a stranger today? What do you think? You can use our contact page to send us your thoughts. We’d love to hear from you…
Today’s Encouragement:
May your weekend be filled with hope, joy, and peace as well as confidence in the God who hears and answers our prayers.
If you need a little extra hope today, here are a couple of blogs to help:
When the Hand of God Restored My Hope
Encouragement for today:
We’re enjoying beautiful spring weather this week (and we should) but let’s not forget those mothers, children, and elderly 5,000 miles away who flee for their lives as bullets fly and bombs fall. Pray, too, for the husbands and fathers who remain behind.
While you’re here, check out this post: How to Trust God in Hard Times
Seven Truths You Need to Survive Hard Times
Encouraging Scripture for today:
As bombs fall, refugees flee, and people suffer throughout Eastern Europe and all over the world, let us not forget this truth: Prayer IS doing something and it makes a bigger difference than we will know this side of eternity. Please continue to lift up all those In harm’s way and who are suffering horrors they never imagined were possible.
We’re glad you stopped by Today’s Encouragement. Check this out while you’re here:
How to Wrestle With God When the Answer to Your Prayer is Delayed
Today’s Encouragement:
Yesterday was our quarterly day of solitude. Completely unplugged and still. We took a step back, read Scripture, pondered, prayed, and pondered some more. Repented a bit. Hiked a little. Watched the lake. Snuggled pups. There’s great strength in silence, as well as great peace. If you don’t have an intentional day of solitude, we encourage you to schedule one soon. We found balm for our troubled heart and rest for our soul.
Having trouble being still? These posts may help:
What Four Day of Digital Silence Taught Me About Myself
Four Reasons We Should Honor Sabbath Rest
Today’s Encouragement:
Encouragement for Today:
Breathtakingly beautiful spring days remind us to look up and see the glory of God…to remember it even when the sky is gray and filled with clouds. We’re holding to the truth we know today, even though loss, grief, war, and fear fill our world and clouds fill the skies. God Is good and His glory fills the earth. We’re praying He reveals His glory in recognizable ways today.
When times are hard, it’s helpful to remember this truth: God keeps His promises. Here’s a post to check out:
Encouraging Scripture for today:
Today’s Encouragement:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” We wondered what it means to be poor in spirit, so maybe you did, too.
The Message paraphrase puts it in easy-to-understand language. “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you, there is more of God and His rule.” (Matthew 5:3 MSG) Less of me, more of Him. It’s a game-changing strategy for living our faith out loud.
May we live as those who understand one basic truth. When God is all you have, you soon find He is all you need. Today, join us as we strive to have more Jesus in our words, our actions, our thoughts. Less me and more Jesus. It’s a good way to start the day.
Check out these blog posts about how God provided in an “end of the rope” moment:
Miracles Still Happen: Miracle in the Middle Drawer
Miracles Still Happen: The $100 Miracle
Encouragement for today:
If God’s gentleness displayed to us and His gentleness in us makes us great, perhaps greatness is truly evident only in gentleness. We’re praying today’s inspirational quote will help you (and us) as we seek and attempt to display the gentleness of God today.
Encouraging Scripture for today:
We serve a prayer-answering God. Let’s pray like we believe it.
How to Pray Scripture for Ukraine and Eastern Europe
Today’s Encouragement:
No matter the circumstance, whether want or plenty, good times or hard, we can rejoice, pray, and give thanks, not because we are unrealistic but because our reality is rooted In the One who holds the heavens and the earth in His loving, no-slip grip.
Check out our Prayer Resource Center for more help with praying powerful prayers.
Encouragement for today:
Do you find praying without ceasing harder than expected? We get it. Let’s take hope in our daily Scripture quote from Psalm 30:5 today. Even the worst trial is temporary. The morning will come again, and along with it, joy. Let’s keep praying for the people of Ukraine and those who are helping them. Prayer may seem a mighty small offering, but remember the One to whom we pray. Pray IS doing something and it makes a bigger difference than we can yet see.
Encouraging Scripture for Today:
Let us not grow weary In prayer and support for those who are suffering and in such danger as well as for those who are opening their hearts and homes to strangers in need…
Today’s Encouragement:
As current events escalate from bad to worse, we find ourselves hungry for daily inspirational quotes to cling to throughout the day. Today’s verse from Romans 8 gives us great hope. Please join us as we continue to lift up the people and the nation of Ukraine to the only One who can save them.
Encouragement for today:
As events unfold in Ukraine, daily Scripture quotes can help us focus our attention on God’s promises and direct our prayers. Ephesians 3:20 reminds us God can do more than we can ask or think. This truth prompts us to pray big, expect big, and rejoice in our God who does more than we can imagine. Why pray a little prayer when we can pray big?
How to Pray Scripture For Ukraine
Prayer IS doing something:
As we continue to pray for Ukraine and peace in Eastern Europe, we wait with anticipation for God to move. Ephesians 3:16 reminds us that prayer is essential in support of our brothers and sisters on the front lines. Prayer IS doing something, so pray big, friends.
Thanks for stopping by Today’s Encouragement. Check back weekdays for new devotionals and encouragement. We’re glad you’re here and have a twice- a-month e-newsletter with exclusive stories, freebies, and more. You can sign up HERE.
Encouragement for Today:
Here’s a strong bit of encouragement for today. No matter how helpless we feel, prayer IS doing something. Here’s a prayer guide with suggestions for how to use powerful Scripture to pray for Ukraine and Eastern Europe. LINK TO PRAYER GUIDE
Today’s Encouragement:
Remember this today: His perfect love casts out fear. No matter what’s happening in the world today, He is still in control. Want to know more about God’s love? Click here: What Does God Is Love Mean?
Encouraging Scripture for Today:
Are you worn out and feel weary down to your bones? There’s hope and help in our inspirational quote of the day. “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
You are loved:
Today’s inspirational quote of the day comes with good news for everyone. You are loved, friends. Fully and eternally loved. Want to know more about God’s love for you? Click here to read “What Does God is Love Mean?”
Today’s Encouragement:
We’re a little obsessed with posts about love this month, so here’s another one. “It’s not enough to love a little…” Love big.
We’re writing about love, too. Specifically God’s love. Check out this blog post: What does God Is love mean?