It’s the New Year! And you know what that means for many of us. New ideas, new goals, and new dreams. Each year, during the week between Christmas and January 1st, my husband and I sit together to review the past year and assess where we are as a family. We also brainstorm about…
The Start of Hope
The classic comeback story contains one of two twists. It’s either about an underdog who falters and then succeeds beyond his dreams, or it’s about a champion who falls, fights hard, and makes a big return. Either way, it’s about a person in pain whose pain is alleviated or who is able to see…
The Incarnation Continues
[My] labor pains for you… will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. — Galatians 4:19 NLT And so you’ve celebrated Christmas, the coming of Jesus to this world. And what a thing to celebrate! The entire pageant comes down to this: Jesus took on a genuine humanity. And of course, this…
How to Spiritually Prepare Your Family for The New Year
How does your family prepare for the transition from one year to the next? One of my favorite traditions is to gather our family and recall how God has shaped our lives during the past 12 months. During this hallowed time, we discuss where we’ve been, share our hopes and dreams, and prayerfully consider where…
Praying Over Your Children in the New Year
With the New Year upon us, I begin to think about the things that I want to do in the next few months. Some of the ideas come quickly, and some require more thought. But there is one consistent commitment I make each year and that is to grow closer to the One to whom I’ve…
Being Great in 2017
“You are the light of the world…” — Matthew 5:14 Greatness and fame are terms often confused or even used inter-changeably. Fame is usually the result of some popular act: a ball is caught, a song is sung, a book is written, or a character is played. But greatness cannot be reduced to an action or…
New Year, New You: Put the Past Behind You
One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 3:13−14 One of the main hindrances that keeps people from becoming what God wants them to become is their past.…
Happy New Year! A Fresh Beginning
Editors Note: This is an excerpt from Being Still with God Every Day. In this 366-day devotional, each day features a scripture and a short, meaningful devotion to set minds and hearts on practical, godly living every day of the year. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth… I will even…
New Year, New Family Routine
As families with growing children, we often have to evaluate the family routine. Our children change fast, and as parents, we have to navigate and set the pace for our families. It can feel tricky, but as my family has rolled through quite a bit of different seasons, there’s a few questions that I ask…