My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. — 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV The Scriptures don’t provide the specifics, but we know that the apostle Paul struggled with what he referred to as a “thorn in [his] flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7). Whatever the problem was, it was so bothersome…
The Promise of Strength to Endure
Our scars tell our stories. They are the mile markers of our existence, reminding us where we have been. Like chapter titles, they announce what has been written onto the pages of our lives. Even as they cover and hide our wounds, they reveal to all that we have suffered. As with a block of…
Permission to Lament
Editor’s Note: It’s Sit & Listen Saturday at Devotionals Daily. Enjoy reading as well as listening to this devotion from No More Faking Fine by Esther Fleece – and don’t miss our exclusive $5 deal on the book! Listen on the blog or on your Alexa device by enabling the skill and then prompting, “Alexa, ask devotionals…
A Yoke for Rest?
In Jesus’ day, farmers used a yoke — a kind of collar — to link two oxen to each other. The yoke was then attached to some other object, such as a plow. Linked by the yoke, the two oxen could then work together, pulling whatever burden was attached to the yoke. Jesus applies this…
You Can Have The Life You’ve Always Wanted
Success in any field requires work, practice, dedication, and the ability to learn from setbacks. When something is worth our effort, we throw ourselves into the task. What makes us think becoming spiritually mature is any different? The Apostle Paul used terms borrowed from the sporting world. “Work out your salvation,” “run to win,” “buffet…
Plant Your Seeds
Faith in Action When we told our close friends and family that we were pregnant and that we still felt called to adopt, many people thought we were crazy and cautioned us to reconsider the timing. But Ari and I held fast to an unexplainable, unwavering faith that this was God’s plan. This plan didn’t…
The Prayer of Blessing
One year I gave my six-year-old daughter, Amanda, a small, decorative box. Inside it I put a small piece of jewelry that she had been wanting for a long time. When she unwrapped the gift and saw the box, she squealed and remarked on every detail. “Oh, Mommy, this is so beautiful! Look at the…
Letting Kids Experience God’s Goodness for Themselves
Is it just me, or do we all question just about everything we do as parents? When I go to bed at night, doubts creep in. As I replay my actions of the day, I find myself wondering: Was I too harsh on the kids or was I too lenient? Did I spend enough time…
Special Needs, Special Love
Editor’s note: This introduction to Bella’s Gift by Rick and Karen Santorum was written by Bella’s older sister, Elizabeth Santorum. In his letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul told us …now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:13 Love is the greatest of the theological…
A Forever Change in Perspective
It was a bitter cold Sunday in December when my heart wore the weather. At the time, we were attending a church teeming with prolific twentysomethings. Most all the women my age (or younger) were pregnant, nursing, or carrying their six-month-olds strapped to their chests in a tight wrap. They came on Sundays, in droves,…
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