“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” Philippians 4:8-9 (The Message Version)
Most of the time I...
“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” Matthew 17:20
On a walk this week, a tiny little pebble made its way into my shoe. Though I tried to push past the distraction, it quickly became my all-consuming thought and focus. When I finally succumbed to the annoyance and slipped my shoe off, I was surprised at...
"The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied." Proverbs 13:4
“Do the hard things first.”
Doing the hard things first is a concept I work at both teaching, and modeling to my kids. The truth is, it’s opposite human nature. We naturally tend to gravitate toward the path of least resistance. However, the easy path usually isn't the most fruitful path. The things worth doing most are rarely the easy things. It speaks to the popular motto, “I...
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
It’s helpful to remember the names of God as we begin the day. The needs we bring in prayer aren’t just something He provides, they’re Who He IS. Whatever need you have or situation you face today, I pray you are comforted by remembering Who holds your every need, prayer,...
“The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant and Son Jesus [doing Him this honor], the One whom you handed over and disowned and rejected before Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. But you disowned and denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked for [the pardon of] a murderer to be granted to you. But you killed the Prince (Author, Originator, Source) of life, whom God raised [bodily] from the dead. To this [fact] we are witnesses [for we...
“Those who trust in themselves [their own hearts] are foolish, but those who live wisely [walk in wisdom] will be kept safe [or refreshed].” Proverbs 28:26
You should absolutely doubt yourself!
Yes, you read that correctly. I'm telling you that you must doubt yourself. Of course, I'm not suggesting you doubt everything about yourself. Don't ever doubt your ability, your worth, your purpose, or your potential. Do, however absolutely doubt your feelings! Feelings simply cannot be trusted! Your...
After looking at the way things are on this earth, here’s what I’ve decided is the best way to live: "Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that’s about it. That’s the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what’s given and delighting in the work. It’s God’s gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now. It’s useless to brood over...
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” Proverbs 3:5-8
Staying in solid, firm faith isn't always easy. James describes the battle in verse 1:8, "You can't make up your mind! You waver back and forth!" The ping-pong between doubt and faith is something humans...
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have received as a gift from God, and that you are not your own property? You were bought with a price you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own. So then, honor and glorify God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Imagine with me for a moment that you’ve just purchased something of great value. The treasure caught your eye and you had to have it. You were so...
Several years ago, I made the decision to stop listening to secular music on the radio while I was driving in the car and to listen to only Christian music instead. Just to be clear, I still have some of my favorite non-Christian music on my iPod, and I am not against it at all. I just felt like the value that I gained from listening to exclusively faith-based music outweighed what I was giving up, and honestly, I never missed secular music!
Over the last few years, I transitioned from...
Nourish: Discover God's Perfectly Balanced Plan for Your Body and Soul Encouragement and practical knowledge for living a healthy spiritual & physical lifestyle, inspiring you to get healthy from the inside out.
Devotions for a Healthier You A devotional filled with scriptures, encouraging stories, and tips on keeping a healthy mind, body, and spirit.
100 Simple & Delicious Recipes for Clean Eating An inspirational cookbook chock-full of healthy, innovative yet simple recipes.
