Living in the Hear and Now

Renee Swope

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27 (NIV)

I sat on the couch looking out the window, wondering what the future held. Some opportunities were on the horizon. My excitement, mixed with the fear of getting over-committed, ignited a rapid firing of thoughts: What would I say yes or no to? What was God calling me to do? How would I figure out His plans and purpose for my schedule?

Wondering and worrying wasn't getting me anywhere, so I decided to start praying. I wrote questions in a notebook: "Lord, what should I say yes to? Where do You want me to spend my time? Will You please show me Your plans for me this coming year?"

I wanted a sneak peek into God's calendar so I could adjust mine. Instead, I sensed Him telling me not to worry about tomorrow but to live each day in the hear and now.

I'd done pretty well when it came to listening to God in the big things. It was when God called me to small acts of obedience behind the scenes that I was most challenged. A few weeks after my conversation with God and my commitment to listen more closely for His voice, I noticed my husband's side of the closet was a mess. I thought about how J.J. enjoys things being orderly, although it's not his natural inclination.

I remembered how frazzled he seemed the day before. Then I sensed God whispering to my heart, "One way you could really love J.J. and bring peace to his world would be to organize his side of the closet."

"He's a grown man; he can organize his own side of the closet. I have two kids, two dogs and myself to keep up with. Have you seen our garage and attic?" I thought.

"Did you hear Me? Are you going to obey Me now?" God's Spirit nudged.

Just that week I had read the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, and realized my attitude was like that of the third servant. He had not been entrusted with much and he buried his talent in the ground. Maybe he thought, "I wasn't given much so why even worry about being faithful with it? I'll just take it easy on this assignment. The master probably won't notice."

Sometimes I saw my role as a wife, daughter, mother and friend as "average" responsibilities - one-talent kind of assignment. Plenty of people have the same assignments, I thought. Without realizing it, I let myself slip into being selfish, inconsiderate or impatient here and there. But God wanted my willingness in every area of my life - hearing and acting on His promptings in my heart throughout my day.

Why does God want moment-by-moment, day-by-day obedience? Because He wants us to trust Him.

Obedience means actively exchanging our will for His. God knows it is hard for us to hear His voice and follow His plans for our tomorrows when we are not willing to obey Him in our todays. But He promises that when we are faithful with the little things, He will "put us in charge of many things" and give us a deeper joy than we have ever known (Matthew 25:21, NIV).

God is so patient as we learn to trust Him in the big and little things in life. And it's in our relationship with Him that we find the purpose, direction and meaning we're looking for. When we live in the "hear and now" our calling and our calendar begin to reflect our love for Him, not our need for fulfillment or the desire to be important in anyone's eyes but His.

By the way, I reorganized my husband's side of the closet. I’m almost sure I heard God chuckle and felt the warmth of His smile. May He smile on you today as you commit to live in the hear and now - acting on what you hear and living it out now.

Dear Lord, when You look at the assignments You've given me, do You find me faithful? Am I living and listening the way You want me to? Sometimes I fall into the trap of waiting for a better tomorrow or an easier assignment so that I can be faithful. Help me trust You. I want to reflect Your heart and extend Your hands today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Renee's talking more about listening to God and learning to recognize His voice at http://www.reneeswope.com/. And she's giving away a book that's helped her follow through on her promise to live in the hear and now. Enter to win by clicking here.

The Power of a Purpose Driven Mom (CD) by Renee Swope

Shaped with Purpose Workbook; Practical Guide to Discovering God's Purpose for Your Life and message on CD, by Renee Swope

For more everyday encouragement, connect with Renee on Facebook

What Happens When Women Say Yes to God by Lysa TerKeurst

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When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity! Your purchase supports the many areas of life-changing ministry we provide at no cost. Although we wish we could, we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us! ________________________________________

Application Steps:
Is there an area of your life where God is calling you to slow down, listen for His voice, and trust Him daily instead of running ahead of His plans?

Ask God to help you listen, recognize, and act on His gentle whispers as you go throughout your day. Visit Renee’s interactive website for more encouragement and ideas on how you can distinguish God's thoughts from yours.

Reflections:
Do I desire to live in the "hear and now" - listening and obeying God in everything, believing I will discover His plans for tomorrow through my faithfulness today?

What roles and relationships has God entrusted to me? (mom, daughter, friend, classmate, wife, sister, etc.) How can I be more faithful in the little things in them?

Power Verses:
1 John 2:5, "If anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him." (NIV)

Matthew 25:21, "You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things." (NIV)

© 2010 by Renee Swope. All rights reserved.

Lending to God

Rachel Olsen

"If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord - and he will repay you!" Proverbs 19:17 (NIV)

I sat in the coffee shop last week, slumped behind my laptop for cover, trying to act casual while blotting tears from my eyes with a brown paper napkin. I hadn't expected to be so touched by the brown eyes staring back at me through that screen.

I'd forgotten that God moves in the heart that focuses on the poor.

I was looking at children in poverty at the Compassion International website - trying to decide which one to sponsor. As I read their profiles, I felt my heart expanding two sizes. I'd experienced this before.

A few months earlier I learned that Mauricio, my sponsored child for the last few years, had moved with his family to another part of the country, exiting the Compassion program. I'd gone to Ecuador and met Mauricio, his parents and his grandfather. I'd written to him and prayed for him. He walks around in my memories, enlarging my heart. I hope he never forgets Jesus loves him so much that he used a woman from another hemisphere to prove it.

I planned to choose another child to sponsor right away, but then, I guess life happened. That task slid to the end of my to-do list before being forgotten. That is, until I sat down with my latte and remembered Mauricio.

I figured I'd search the Compassion website for a new "Mauricio," set up an auto-pay account, and get that to-do done before I forgot again.

I don't know why I thought that was something I'd do rather matter-of-factly in a coffee shop, like addressing envelopes or making a grocery list. I don't know how the tears welling in my eyes caught me off guard. I guess I'd forgotten doing the will of God regarding the poor is never just a task because God moves in us when we reach out.

Reading this story you might get the impression that I have a generous, giving heart. You'd be wrong. I'm rather stingy when it comes to money. But I've let God interrupt my stingy nature enough times and teach me that it's more blessed to give than receive. In the process, I learned the truth of today's key verse - that giving to the poor is virtually the same as depositing that money in a heavenly interest-earning account. God not only moves in the heart of, but rewards those who care for the poor.

Randy Alcorn writes in Money, Possessions, and Eternity: "God keeps an account open for us in heaven, and every gift given for His glory is a deposit in that account. Not only God, not only others, but we are the eternal beneficiaries of our giving." I wasn't just sitting in a coffee shop last week looking at a website; I was in line at the "Alpha & Omega Savings and Loan."

That's a truth I want to remember and teach my kids. This morning I showed my 9 year-old son the profiles of the children our family is praying over and asked if he had any thoughts about which one to sponsor. He sniffled a few times while sitting there; I wondered if he was catching cold. Then I caught him wiping at his eyes.

"Are you crying over those children, Caleb?" I tentatively asked.

"Yeah, a little," he admitted. I think his heart grew too.

God moves when we focus on the poor. When we reach out to help, He moves through us into their lives and for us into ours. He acts on our behalf when we act on theirs.

May we lend to God lots this season, giving Him plenty of room to move in, through and for us.

Dear Lord, it seems so strange to think that I can lend to You. But Your Word says that when I help the poor, I am blessing both them and You. And You promise to repay that favor. Lord, soften my heart towards the poor. Help me be generous. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
If this devotion touched your heart, you'll want to read the chapter "Have Eyes Bigger than Your Stomach" in Rachel's new book It's No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know.

Visit Rachel's blog today for a chance to win a free copy of her new book!

Consider sponsoring a child at Compassion International

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When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity! Your purchase supports the many areas of life-changing ministry we provide at no cost. Although we wish we could, we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us! ________________________________________

Application Steps:
Honestly, it never feels like a good time to begin parting with $38 a month for the next several years to sponsor a child you've never met. The realization that the holidays and both of my children's birthdays are right around the corner ran through my mind in that coffee shop. Maybe I should wait until the new year, I thought.

But as German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, "Don't say that you want to give, but go ahead and give! You'll never catch up with a mere hope."

Reflections:
Do I help the poor?

Am I willing to "lend to God" in this matter, trusting that He repays?

Power Verses:
Psalm 41:1-2, "Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble. The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies." (NLT)

Proverbs 31:20, "She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy." (NIV)

© 2010 by Rachel Olsen. All rights reserved.

The Mother Load

Lysa TerKeurst

"One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving." Psalm 62:11-12a (NIV)

We moms should never build the stability of our identity on the fragility of our kid's choices.

Have you ever felt like a failure as a mom because you got a not so great call from the principal's office? Me too. On the flip side, have you ever felt like the greatest mom ever because your child got some special recognition? Me too. So, let me say it again just so this crucial truth can sink in a little deeper. I'm repeating it for no other reason, sweet sister, than the fact I need this message. So, forgive me if this devotion preaches a message only to myself.

We moms should never build the stability of our identity on the fragility of our kid's choices.

I've got five amazing kids. I really do. They are wildly funny, imaginative, moody, opinionated, strong, weak, happy, sad, good and sometimes not so good. In other words they're pretty normal. And while I've done everything in my power to raise them to turn out amazingly awesome - and they very well might turn out amazingly awesome - there aren't any guarantees.

Sometimes bad parents raise terrific kids.

And sometimes terrific parents raise kids that chase bad things their whole life.

So, what's a mama to do?

Embrace the process. Learn from the process. Let God speak to us during the process. And see the process of raising kids as an ongoing opportunity to invest beyond ourselves.

We get to love our kids like crazy. Pray for them faithfully. Talk to them regularly. Listen to them tenderly. Model honesty and integrity. And point them to Jesus at every turn.

We get to do all that.

And tucked within these privileges is the reward. As long as I look for the reward within the process, I won't misplace my expectations. I have to rest in the assurance that God sees everything I invest in these kids.

And He will use every step of this process for good. The process will be good for me. And this process will good for my kids. It will be good. But this process won't always make me feel good or look good.

If I always expect my kids to make me feel good or look good, I am setting us all up for failure. My kids were never meant to carry the weight of a mama's need for validation. I can't let their failures send me to bed. And I can't wear their successes like mommy medals of honor.

Motherhood is tough you know?

It really is.

However, it's also our only opportunity to reach into the generations to come and make a difference. So, an imperfect but wonderful difference I will make.

Dear Lord, help me to embrace the privilege and process of motherhood. I see parenting as an opportunity to invest beyond myself. But I also admit that I really need Your help. Please guide me so that I can model You every day in every way. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Lysa’s blog for a chance to win the ultimate mom gift. You don’t want to miss this!

For more gut honest and wise advice on being the mom you want to be, check out Lysa TerKeurst’s book Am I Messing Up My Kids?

Lysa’s best-selling book, Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl, is helping women know how to better understand and apply the Bible. Every mom should read this!

Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl DVD set

Lysa will be speaking in over 40 cities this year and she’d love to meet you! To check for a city near you, click here.

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When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you! ________________________________________

Application Steps:
If we always expect our kids to make us feel good or look good, we are setting ourselves up for failure. Be honest with yourself and think of some ways you may be doing this. Spend some time resting in God's daily assurance. See your parenting as an opportunity to reach into the generations to come. Reflections: Am I consistently pointing my family to Jesus? How am I doing this?

Have I misplaced any of my expectations?

Power Verses:
2 Corinthians 1:5, "For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows." (NIV)

Ecclesiastes 3:11, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." (NIV)　
　
© 2010 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

A Recipe for Relationships

Micca Monda Campbell

"Because he loved him as he loved himself." 1 Samuel 20:17b (NIV)

So many people today are looking for meaningful relationships, yet so few actually find them. My mother use to tell me to count myself lucky if I had just one "close friend." That's because close life-long relationships are hard to come by. Since we are becoming an increasingly private society, it seems that fewer people than ever actually have life-long intimate friends. Still, the desire for this kind of relationship is not only sought after, but necessary.

Women are naturally drawn to other women. In fact, a girl's first experience with heartache may have been over a lost "best friend" rather than a "boyfriend." Women value friendships. When they are lost, we grieve; not just over the friendship itself, but also for the secrets shared, the trust given and the acceptance enjoyed. If betrayed, the pain runs deep causing us to wonder if intimate friendships are really possible.

When I think of a biblical example of real friendship, the story of David and Jonathan, found in 1 Samuel 19, always comes to mind.

Jonathan, son of King Saul, was David's closest friend. The King despised David because he was growing in popularity and because God had anointed David to be king. These facts enraged King Saul, and he commanded his aids and Jonathan to assassinate David. But Jonathan loved David; therefore he would not betray David.

Love isn't the only fruit of true friendship. A real relationship consists of sacrifice too.

We discover in this story that Jonathan stripped himself of the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his armor, his sword, his bow, and his belt. Jonathan was the potential heir to his father's throne, but we see him sacrificing his future for David as he literally gives David his place as king.

You and I learn from this action that true friendship means a willingness to sacrifice for each other in love. It's the ability to put another's needs, desires, and wishes above those of our own.

Loyalty is also a mark of true friendship. We're told that Jonathan went to his father and spoke well of David. Jonathan also stood up to his dad and said, "Dad, you're wrong about David. He hasn't done anything against you, in fact, everything he's done has helped you." A true friend is a loyal defense before others; one who won't talk about you when you're not around. True friends stick up for each other and are ready to defend when others attack.

Finally, intimate friends give each other complete freedom to be themselves. In an intimate friendship, you don't have to explain why you do what you do. You're just free to do it.

When Jonathan gave David the sign that things were not okay in the palace and that his dad was going to kill David, the two were forced to say goodbye. The text tells us they wept together.

When your heart is broken, you can bleed all over a friend like this and she'll understand. She won't try to comfort you in your misery or tell you to straighten up. Intimate friends let each other hurt and they weep together. If your friend needs to complain, you will listen. Intimate friends don't bale, they stay. They allow you to be yourself no matter what 'self' looks like.

If you're looking for a Godly recipe for relationships, look no further. Mix together love, sacrifice, loyalty, and freedom and you can create an intimate friendship that lasts a lifetime.

Dear Lord, help me to be a friend like Jonathan. Then, bless me with the same. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
An Untroubled Heart: Finding Faith that is Stronger than My Fears by Micca Campbell

Visit Micca’s blog

Cultivating a Heart of Contentment (CD) by Micca Campbell

The Friends We Keep: A Woman's Quest for the Soul of Friendship by Sarah Zacharias Davis

Turn Your Girlfriends into Sisters, our Everyday Life article offering great friendship tips!

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When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you!________________________________________

Application Steps:
Develop the kind of character that attracts others. While David had enemies, he also had a growing number of people who loved him. People are naturally attracted to someone who shines with God-like attributes. One the other hand, most are turned off by mean, selfish people. Whatever is on the inside will show on the outside - so ask God to develop in you the kind of traits that draw people of good characteristics.

Reflections:
What kind of friend am I?

Do I exhibit loyalty, love, freedom, and sacrifice in my relationships? Why or Why not?

Power Verses:
John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (NIV)

© 2010 by Micca Campbell. All rights reserved.　

But I Can't See!

Lynn Cowell

"The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, 'Follow me.'" John 1:43 (NIV)

Illuminating a small circle just in front of our feet, the flashlight provided safety and direction for only our next step as Rose and I took our pre-sunrise walk. Anxiety eventually gave way to comfort as we discussed the day ahead. We knew the light would lead us in the right direction. We just had to take the next step...

Taking the next step is something Jesus recommended a very long time ago. "Come and you will see." "Follow me." These were the words Jesus spoke to the disciples as He called them. He didn't sit them down and reveal what the next three years would hold. He knew they would be overwhelmed; possibly even turn around. He chose to keep it simple. "Follow me" was all He said. Take the next step...

As a teen, I wanted to know my future. Will all my dreams come true? What college will I attend? Will I work in a church; marry a pastor? Will I live in Iowa near my family? Jesus knew the answers to those questions all along. I didn't go to college. I don't work in a church, nor did I marry a pastor. He knew. In wisdom, He chose to reveal only enough light for me to take the next step.

Sometimes, I catch myself wishing again that I could see my future. I get wrapped up in fear or worry. Career worries: Will I still have this job in five or ten years? Mom worries: Will my children marry spouses passionate about Jesus? Marriage worries: Will my husband and I enjoy a long retirement together? I can spin around issues that really don't have anything to do with this day, with my next step.

Jesus knows. He knows which answers are "yes" and which ones are "no." He knows when and where to reveal to me my next step. My part is simply to take the next step in obedience.

When I was younger, I did not understand those times when He said "no" were stepping stones to His amazing "yes." I learned in the dark that when I step forward in trust and obedience, blessing is down the path. I also had to learn that even those pathways that held pain where part of the process. They were stepping stones in my journey of choosing obedience over worry, fear and control.

Now, when fear and doubt surface in the dark I silence the "what ifs." I remember Jesus' words, "Follow me," and get back on the path that is flickering just ahead-and simply take the next step…a step of trust. I ask Him what I need to do for just today. I walk away from worry by expressing my concerns to Jesus and trust His ability to take care of each and every step.

Dear Lord, the dark can be frightening. Jesus, sometimes my ability to trust seems so much smaller than the step I need to take. Help me to build a history with You. A history of seeing You will help me trust You over and over and over again. I want that. I put my trust in You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Visit Lynn's blog to enter to win a copy of her CD “He is that Into You” and read one of her favorite God stories!

Divine Prayers for Desperate Parents by Susanne Scheppmann

It's No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know by Rachel Olsen

He Speaks to Me by Priscilla Shirer

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When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you! ________________________________________

Application Steps:
Purchase a spiral notebook and write on the front "My History with God." Document areas in your life where unrest lies. Leave space under each entry for room to record God's care for you in these areas. One day, this will be your testimony to pass on!

Life for teens can be confusing. Many choices come their way, yet often there is not enough light in their lives to guide them to the right decision. Would you consider investing in the life of a teen through mentoring? Lynn is sharing with teens today the benefits of being mentored at www.RadRevolution.org. Join in the conversation!

Reflections:
What areas in my life feel out of control, like I'm walking in the dark? Do I feel alone or am I aware of God's presence with me?

Have I had trustworthy people in my life in the past? How have these relationships influenced my ability to trust God?

Power Verses:
2 Samuel 7:28, "O Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant." (NIV)

Psalm 9:10, "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you." (NIV)

Psalm 13:5, "But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation." (NIV)

© 2010 by Lynn Cowell. All rights reserved.

A Dying Faith Revived

Wendy Blight

"Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." Romans 10:17 (NIV)

Law school. Two words that scare some and impress others.

I gave three years of my life to the study of law…compiling facts, reading case law, applying that law, and making arguments. I spent hour after hour in the law library. Researching, studying, and writing consumed my every day. My hard work paid off when I made law review.
It paid off again when I passed the bar.

It paid off again upon graduation when I walked through the doors to begin my first day at one of the largest, most prestigious firms in downtown Dallas.

It should have been the best time of my life, but instead it felt empty, without purpose. I found no joy, no satisfaction in what I did every day. I spent so much time and invested so much money to get to this place. Something was missing.

What I felt in the depths of my soul was the cry of a dying faith…hunger pangs of a weary soul. I had filled myself full of worldly knowledge, yet I had starved myself of spiritual knowledge.

Friend, do you feel that way as you read my words? Do you feel empty, dry, and weary? Faith feeds on the Word of God. Without a steady intake of God's Word in our lives, we grow weaker and weaker. I tried to feed my faith on a two minute devotional in the morning…maybe a few times a week…if that.

When we starve our faith, we move farther and farther from our Father's heart. We find it hard to trust Him. Sometimes we avoid worshiping Him. We feel guilty. We feel alone. Listen to words from our Father's heart:

• "Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." Romans 10:17 (NIV)

• "Jesus answered, 'It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

• Blessed is the one whose "delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law [she] meditates day and night. [She] is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever [she] does prospers." Psalm 1:2-3 (NIV)

Faith feeds on the Word of God. Our faith has no life apart from what we receive from the Word. I came to the realization that I needed to alter my diet. I needed to feed on something other than case law and legal memoranda.

God drew you to this devotional today. Ask Him why. Has the Lord pricked your heart? Does my story strike a chord with you? With all my heart, I encourage you to not ignore His Word to you today.

Let's be like the blessed one in Psalm 1 who meditates on God's Word day and night. Will you commit with me today to memorize one scripture? To start, find a verse, maybe one from this devotional, and memorize it. You will be putting "faith food" into your heart and mind.

Throughout the next few days, feed on that verse, speak that verse, and share that verse. Watch what God will do.

God will bless your obedience. Your obedience will bear fruit. You will prosper.

Wait and watch and see!

Dear Lord, today I feel weary, empty, and so very far away from You. Please come near, feed me with Your Word, revive my dying faith. Make me like the tree planted by streams of water, yielding fruit and prospering in all I do. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

Visit Wendy’s blog and share your memory verse with her. She would love to pray for you.

Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: The Transforming Power of God's Story by Wendy Blight

All Things Wise and Wonderful: Applying God's Wisdom in Everyday Life (E-Book) by Wendy Blight

Proverbs 31 Ministries’ offers many Bible studies! Shop online today for one that fits you.

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When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of life-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you! ________________________________________

Application Steps:
Pick a verse from the devotional or your own verse and commit to memorize it this week. Please stop by my blog and share your verse with me. I would be honored to pray for you as you take this step.

Reflections:
What is it that takes your time and keeps you from being in God's Word on a consistent basis?

What one step can you take to spend more time with God in His Word? Commit to take that step.

Power Verses:
Matthew 4:4, "Jesus answered, 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (NIV)

© 2010 by Wendy Blight. All rights reserved.

Child Adrift

Susanne Scheppmann

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:31-32 (NLT)

"My child is adrift. How do I let go?" my friend asked with tear-filled eyes.

"You hold on with a tether of prayer," I replied.

Our goal as parents is to raise our children to be independent, faith-filled adults. We teach them right from wrong. We educate them about God and the Bible. We exhibit table manners and good sportsmanship. We demonstrate compassion and empathy for humanity. We subtly point them in the direction of what we suspect will bring them happiness and success. Then they grow-up and seem to drift away from everything we have taught them.

Sometimes, no matter how great the parenting, some children flounder in adulthood. They wander into uncharted territory to test their independence. What's a parent to do then? If the child is of legal age, the best thing a parent can do is to pray. Our key verse demonstrates that this is how Jesus dealt with Simon Peter when he was about to fall into fear and doubt concerning his faith and love for God. Jesus didn't scold, plead or rebuke him. Jesus simply said, "But I have pleaded in prayer for you."

Jesus prayed with complete confidence in the power of God to bring Simon Peter back into the faith and fellowship with the other believers. My favorite part of today's key verse is when Jesus stated, "So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers." Many times when a child wanders away from family and faith, we tend to see it as only a negative. However, Jesus saw Simon's weakness in a different light. Jesus knew that after Simon drifted, he would come back stronger in his walk of faith than before. Simon would be able to strengthen other people.

As we pray for our children, their faults, foibles, and faith frailties, let's remind ourselves that these very things may be exactly what God will use for him or her to help others. It is through personal mistakes that our children can learn compassion and empathy for people—especially those who struggle in similar areas. So, as we pray, let's be encouraged by the knowledge that God never wastes a painful experience. He will use drifting children to minister to a hurting world. So go right now and tether your child to God with a lifeline of prayer.

Dear Lord, my child is adrift in a frightening world. Teach me how to pray for my child. Remind me that the most effective thing I can do is to plead for him/her before the throne of God. Help me to convert my worry into prayer. I thank You that You understand my feelings and I can trust in Your sovereignty in my child's life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Visit Susanne’s Blog

Divine Prayers for Despairing Parents: Words to Pray When You Don't Know What to Say by Susanne Scheppmann

When Your Child is Hurting: Helping Your Child Survive the Ups and downs of Life by Glynnis Whitwer

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When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of life-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you! ________________________________________

Application Steps:
Find a notebook or prayer journal and begin to journal your prayers for your child. Date each prayer. Every time you begin to feel stress and anxiety over your child's behaviors, write a prayer. In addition, as you see promises of hope and change in your son or daughter, jot them down as a reminder when you feel discouraged and overwrought that God is indeed at work.

Read Divine Prayers for Despairing Parents as an additional resource of hope.

Reflections:
Do I believe that prayer is the most effective way to handle my wayward child?

How can I remind myself to pray instead of worry?

When my child turns around, how will he/she be able to strengthen other people?

Power Verses:
Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." (NIV)

John 17:15, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." (NIV)

Psalms 27:13-14, "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (NIV)

© 2010 by Susanne Scheppmann. All rights reserved.

iPod Faith

Marybeth Whalen

"Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truths and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:4-5 (NIV)

When I was a kid, I had tapes of the music I liked. When I was in college, I had CDs. The point was, when I liked a song, I had to buy the whole tape or CD to get that song.

Sometimes you could buy the cassette single and sometimes you could get lucky enough to tape it from the radio. (Anyone else remember sitting by the radio waiting to catch your favorite song so you could hit record?) But for the most part, you had to buy the whole enchilada.

A funny thing happened when you bought the whole tape or CD, though. Not always, but a lot of the time you found other songs you liked by that artist. Your eyes were opened to other possibilities. (Hang on... I am going somewhere with this...) You discovered a song that you felt like no one else knew about but you because you didn't hear it on the radio. It became personal because it wasn't popular. It was what you found when you were looking for something else.

Now music has changed. One of my kids hears a song and within moments they can get online and have it downloaded to their iPod for $1. No trip to the mall with your hard-earned money, no waiting for your mom to have time to drive you. Just a few clicks and press play. And you also don't have to buy anything you didn't want or know about. You just got what you wanted, when you wanted it. It has revolutionized the music industry. But is it necessarily better that way?

I spent time last week going back through old songs I loved, many of which were songs that were never popular, that most people never heard of. I found them because I had bought the whole tape of some band's latest release. I like them so much because they weren't popular, therefore they didn't get overplayed. They felt mine.

How often I want my faith the way I want my iPod—instant gratification without having to wade through the unknowns. I want what I want when I want it. Point click and play. I don't want God to require me to buy the whole album—to deal with the parts I don't know or like, to take the time to listen to things I might not want to hear.

And yet, I gained a lot from wading through the stuff I never would have tried without being forced. There were unexpected treasures to be found, surprises I ended up valuing more than what I originally set out to find. I wanted to be a mother but I didn't want the sleepless nights and being stretched to the point of breaking. I wanted to be married but I didn't want to learn how to get along with another person day in and day out, to discover what sacrifice really means. I wanted to be a novelist but I didn't want to have to work so hard to make it happen. I wanted to lose weight but I didn't want to exercise daily or control my cravings. I wanted what I wanted, and God used those desires to build my character along the way, and draw me closer to Him in the process.

Call me old school (you wouldn't be the first) but I don't want an iPod faith. Just because it's more convenient or faster doesn't mean it's the best way. Sometimes being open to what you weren't expecting is the best way to find what you were looking for all along.

Dear Lord, help me to remember when You ask me to wait it is for my best. Help me to trust in the process You're taking me through. And help me remember that You are on the other side of every trial, waiting with a new perspective, a new vision, a new hope. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Marybeth’s blog

The Mailbox by Marybeth Whalen

Teach this lesson to your kids with Van Walton’s From the Pound to the Palace

Share this lesson with your teens with Alex and Brett Harris’ Do the Hard Thing

Re-visit this lesson yourself with Susanne Scheppmann’s Birds in My Mustard Tree: How to Grow Your Faith

Reflections:
What are some things God has required you to go through that you would have chosen to skip if you could? Are you grateful for them now?

Power Verses:
Psalm 31:3, "Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me." (NIV)

Psalm 143:8, "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." (NIV)

© 2010 by Marybeth Whalen. All rights reserved.

Beginnings

Samantha Reed, P31 Executive Assistant

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth." 1 Corinthians 3:6 (NASB)

Every story has a beginning, middle and end. The same is true for the story of our life. Our education starts in kindergarten, goes through elementary and middle schools and ends in high school or college. A romantic relationship begins with friendship, passes into dating and culminates in marriage. Meals start with appetizers, lead to a main entrée and finish with dessert.

How about our salvation story? The middle of every believer's salvation story is a relationship with God, and the end is eternity with Him. What about the beginning? That's different for everyone. Maybe a salvation-seed is planted while attending church with a neighbor. Perhaps a grandma's prayers are rays of sunshine on a cold heart. Hard, bitter soil may soften through the kindness of a women making room on the pew. Or roots sprout when a stranger in the front of the line buys lunch for those behind her.

Yes, every salvation story has a beginning. Have you considered the possibility that you could be part of someone's beginning? Unbeknownst to me, I was part of my friend Javier's!

Javier and I were neighbors in college a decade ago. Our roommates dated, so we hung out often. We cooked dinner. Spent lazy afternoons watching movies. Cheered next to each other at football games. When I took guitar lessons, Javier taught me chords. Despite all this time together, I'm sorry to say I rarely brought the Lord up in conversation. Over the years we've kept in touch sporadically. So when Javier sent me this email, I was humbled and amazed.

Just wanted to thank you for being in my life in college. I came to Christ about four years or so ago and when looking back in my life, I think of people that were examples I wanted to follow. Even though we hardly talked about God, I knew you were a Christian and really admired that about you. Talk about planting a seed that didn't bear fruit right away. 10 years in the making. I am glad I am able to tell people who helped me find Christ how important they were.

The day I received Javier's email was one of the best days of my life! To know I had planted a seed in his salvation-story is an honor. Our key verse teaches we each can play an important role in bringing salvation to others. We may not always be fortunate enough to know the outcome of the seeds we plant, or water, but we can have confidence the Lord will cause growth.

Javier's story inspires me to plant more seeds by being intentional with my words, deeds and actions. I want to be the neighbor, grandma, woman or stranger... the friend or family member ... church member or coworker ... who plays a role in the salvation stories of others. How about you?

Dear Lord, You are in control of all things. Thank You for calling me out of darkness and into Your marvelous light. Please use me as an instrument in someone else's salvation story so they too may walk in Your light. I long to be a willing vessel; help me to do this for Your glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper

What Happens When Women Walk in Faith by Lysa TerKeurst

Join Javier today on Samantha’s blog where she is doing a Q&A and a giveaway!

______________________________________
When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you! ________________________________________

Application Steps:

Is there someone you have prayed to come to salvation for years? Re-read Javier's email and take heart. Seeds take time to grow. Keep praying. Our God is the God of hope (Romans 15:13, NIV).

Perhaps it's time to follow up with that person if you don't talk to them regularly.

Reflections:
Who in my life doesn't know the Lord?

How can I be part of their salvation story?

Power Verses:
Matthew 5:16, "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (NIV)

John 13:35, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (ESV)

Luke 15:10, "There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (ESV)

© 2010 by Samantha Reed. All rights reserved.

Do the Work

Marybeth Whalen

"Then David continued, 'Be strong and courageous and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the temple of the Lord is finished correctly.'" I Chronicles 28:20 (NLT)

I pushed the computer aside, convinced that the task I was attempting was impossible. I couldn't fathom completing the work I had ahead of me and I needed a mental break. Picking up a Christian book I was reading, I carried it upstairs to the treadmill, deciding to pound out my frustration and read at the same time. I had no idea I was about to have my own personal revival.

Several pages into the book I read today's verse. Have you ever had a verse jump off the page at you? Well, this one did. I thought back to my frustration with the work I was facing earlier and felt God speak to me through this verse. Quit telling me how impossible the task is and just do the work, He said. Don't forget I will show up each time. Not so you can boast about your abilities, but so you can boast in Me.

After my time on the treadmill, I raced downstairs to email a friend of mine who I had complained to earlier that day. I told her how the verse had ministered to me, and how I was going to simply do the work. She wrote back that she had been praying for God to speak to me about the task that was overwhelming me. I had a new motto as I recommitted to the task at hand: Do the work. Whenever I started to get discouraged or overwhelmed by the hugeness of the task, I reminded myself: Do the work—three little words that got me through one of the biggest challenges of my life. Perhaps you need to hear those three little words today.

Are you facing a challenge in your job? Do the work.

Does your marriage need to be rebuilt? Do the work.

Are you worried about your ability to be a good mother? Do the work.

Are you dealing with a personal hardship that just seems too big to overcome? Do the work.

Are you struggling with debt and financial issues? Do the work.

Do you want to eat healthier, commit to regular exercise or lose weight? Do the work.

Is there a dream that God has planted in your heart that seems too big for you? Do the work.

Make no mistake: sometimes the work will be hard. Note that our verse today didn't say "Lay around and hope things get better." The challenge we face is not in focusing on how hard the work is, but in seeking the God who has promised to show up as we work. We offer our best efforts and trust that He will multiply them. We will see Him supply the words, the resources, the energy, the time, the patience, the grace we need. But first we must do the work. Just like the priests had to first step into the water before the Jordan could part in Joshua 3:15-16, so we must begin working before we can see the solution appear.

What work do you need to start doing—or keep doing—no matter how discouraged or disheartened you feel? I pray that you will see Him at work on your behalf today as you do the work He has called you to do. Do the work, and He will be with you.

Dear Lord, help me to look to You and not to the hugeness of the work I have ahead of me. Help me not to be afraid or discouraged. I thank You for Your promise that You are with me and that You will not fail me or forsake me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Need a compelling reason to buy yourself a new book this fall? Or want to get an early jump on Christmas shopping? For the rest of this week only, we are offering a 31% discount on all of our resources! Click here to visit our P31 online store and save big on titles you’ve been wanting to read!

The Mailbox by Marybeth Whalen

Learning to Live Financially Free by Marybeth and Curt Whalen

The Complete Guide to Getting & Staying Organized by Karen Ehman

Application Steps:
Spend time journaling about a challenge you are facing in your life. What work can you do today towards that challenge?

Reflections:
What discouragement or fear keeps you from doing the work? How can you avoid those crippling feelings?

Power Verses:
Haggai 2:4, "But now be strong O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord, and work. For I am with you, declares the Lord almighty." (NIV)

Ephesians 6:10, "Finally, be strong in the LORD and in his mighty power." (NIV)

© 2010 by Marybeth Whalen. All rights reserved.

Dare to Hope

Wendy Pope

"Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this." Lamentations 3:21 (NLT)

Have you ever cried until the tears would no longer come and your heart was broken in tiny pieces? Have you ever uttered, "Everything I hope for from the Lord is lost?" Then you, me and Jeremiah make three.

I won't ever forget those long nights of crying myself to sleep. Some nights only silent tears would fall; other nights loud wails accompanied questions and prayers. "Why Lord? What am I doing wrong? Why won't you just fix his problems?" The prayers would end with "if it is Your will," hoping that His will was different that what it appeared to be.

On these nights I would curl up in a ball under my covers, face the wall and hope this time there would be a break-through in my prayers. Many nights, as I cried myself to sleep, I believed everything I had hoped for was lost and the situation was hopeless.

Jeremiah, also known as the weeping prophet, found himself in a hopeless situation as he watched the Temple of the Lord being burned to the ground by the Babylonians. His heart broke. The elements of the Temple such as the water basin and lamp snuffers were stolen, taken to Babylon to be used to worship false gods.

Jeremiah prophesied God's words to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. The Lord's immediate future for His people was one of discipline and the utter destruction of Jerusalem as well as His holy Temple. Jeremiah was chosen by God to deliver these words to His people. He did his job and did it well, but not without punishment, ridicule, insults, and imprisonment.

Jeremiah cried until no more tears would come (Lamentations 2:11, NLT). His heart was broken for Jerusalem and for God's people, his people. In anguish he lamented the words, "Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost" (Lamentations 3:18, NLT).

Then, out of the midst of his despair, he dared. He dared to hope in what he remembered.

Many of us know someone who needs hope; perhaps we ourselves need hope, therefore it would serve us well today to know what Jeremiah remembered. What he remembered as he lamented gave him the courage to dare to hope again. The remembrance changed his perspective on his present situation. Jeremiah dared to hope and so can we, regardless of our circumstances. In reading Lamentations 3:21-24 you can hear the expression in Jeremiah's "voice" change from that of lament to that of optimism. In your mind's eye you can picture his facial features transforming. What Jeremiah remembered was the key to elevating him from the pit of despair to a place of expectancy. It is our key as well. Jeremiah remembered this about his covenant Lord:

• His unfailing love for him
• His new mercies meant for him
• His never ending faithfulness toward him
• His inheritance due him

God's Word is alive and active. It is designed to transform us from the inside out. Reading and applying its truths will change the expression in our voice and redirect our perspective for the future. During my desperate nights I longed for my circumstances to be different. I cried until the tears would no longer come. Many times I tarried in the pit of despair much longer than necessary. But when I remembered God's faithfulness and mercies to me, my expression changed.

Did the circumstances surrounding my sorrows change because I remembered? No. What changed was my outlook. Hope means to wait with expectation, and this is what I chose to do during those hard nights.

Are you in need of hope today? Will you choose to remember His faithfulness, love, and mercy despite the despair and destruction around you? Will you dare to hope?

Dear Lord, I want to dare to hope but life around me seems uncertain and tentative. Will You help me dare to hope? Will You help me remember Your faithfulness, love and mercy? Thank You advance for what You are going to do. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

What to do in the W.A.I.T: Finding Contentment in God’s Pauses and Plans (CD) by Wendy Pope

Visit Wendy’s blog to read her story

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan

His Princess, Love Letters from Your King by Sheri Rose Shepherd

________________________________________

When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you! ________________________________________

Application Steps:
Read Lamentations 3:21-24 aloud. Remember and write down God's expressions of faithfulness, mercy, and love to you. Dare to hope.

Forward today's devotions to someone who needs hope.

Reflections:
What is my biggest stumbling block that keeps me from daring to hope?
What is an area of my life in which I need to dare to hope?

Power Verses:
Psalm 33:18, "But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love." (NIV)

© 2010 by Wendy Pope. All rights reserved.

Composed and Quieted

Van Walton

"O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; Nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me." Psalm 131:1 (NASB)

I watched the young mother deftly work in her kitchen, amazed at all she could accomplish with one hand. In her left arm she tenderly cradled her little one. With her right hand, elbow, shoulder and hip she opened drawers and shut doors; she pulled out cups, saucers, and spoons; she scooped coffee and poured water.

While Juan Valdez's aroma filled the air, she gathered pastries from her pantry and other refreshments from her refrigerator. When silence replaced conversation, she hummed a quiet melody into her baby's ear. Finally we sat down to enjoy our mid-day visit and I realized her tiny infant had slept through it all, mindless of the constant noise and swirling activity.

Oh, to rest in such peace while all around me chaos reigns. What secret lay hidden in that little heart?

The chapter which contains today's key verse offers the answer- such a short and simple Psalm, yet it says it all, "Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother..." (NASB).

I long for an escape from life's challenges. Sometimes the force and frequency with which my trials torment me threaten to undue me.

I've been tested and tried this year to the point that I thought, "If the barrage doesn't let up, I am a goner." I held up my hand in the stop position and screamed out to God, "No more! Have mercy. I'm undone! How am I supposed to juggle all this?"

In that instant God whispered, "Like a child rests against his mother, quiet your soul."

Then the Master Artist sketched for me the picture I described earlier. His reminder recalled a young mother tenderly and safely holding her baby, while all around, life's responsibilities increasingly swelled.

Sweet friend, do you feel like you are losing your footing? Are you struggling to conquer the chaos? If you are like me you are on the brink, throwing up your hands and screaming, "I give up!"

That's good! Give up.

Yes, that is what I said.

Give up and like a child in her mother's arms, trust and rest.

Some matters are too complicated for us to figure out. Let God open and close the doors. Believe that He will prepare and provide. He created you, His precious child. He is protecting you in the crook of His strong right arm.

Father God, Your Word assures me that You are a strong shelter. You don't give me more than I can endure. Out of obedience I believe You and rest. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
From the Pound to the Palace Children’s Book or Story on DVD by Van Walton

You are My Hiding Place, Lord: Finding Peace in God's Presence by Emilie Barnes

An Untroubled Heart: Finding Faith that is Stronger than My Fears by Micca Campbell

Traveling Light: Releasing the Burdens You Were Never Intended to Bear by Max Lucado

We’d be honored to walk alongside you throughout your day. Find us on Facebook and Twitter.

________________________________________

When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of life-changing ministry P31 provides at no cost. We simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you! ________________________________________

Application Steps:
Purposefully plan thirty minutes into each day with a goal to sit quietly. Begin this time speaking to the Father, "Like a child I rest in You. I trust You to take the matters to great for me and place them under Your authority."

If needed, repeat the above-mentioned prayer until your soul is "composed and quieted."

Reflections:
What areas of my life are too great for me?

What steps can I take to shed the burdens of my difficulties?

Who can I ask to pray with me and hold me accountable to give my burdens to God?

Power Verses:
Psalm 32:7, "For You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory." (NLV)

Psalm 131:2-3, "Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child rests against his mother, My soul is like a weaned child within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forever." (NASB)

1 Corinthians 10:13, "…you can trust God, who will not permit you to be tempted more than you can stand. But when you are tempted, he will also give you a way to escape so that you will be able to stand it." (NCV)

© 2010 by Van Walton. All rights reserved.

Testimony

Marybeth Whalen

"Summon your power, O God; show us your strength, O God, as you have done before." Psalm 68:28 (NIV)

It was the first day of the Bible study I was leading and I didn't know the women very well. When I asked them how they experience God's presence, I got the answers I expected: prayer, reading His Word, listening to music. Then one woman raised her hand. "My testimony," she said.

I know my face registered my confusion. This was not an answer I expected. "Your testimony?" I asked. I knew the word testimony meant her story of how she came to know Jesus as Christ or stories of His activity in her life, but I was not totally following her. "How do you experience God's presence through your testimony?" I inquired.

"Whenever I share my testimony, I am reminded of His faithfulness," she answered me, her dark eyes shining. "I remember what He did then and I feel Him there assuring me He will be faithful again. My testimony reminds me of God's presence throughout my life; that I can count on Him."

I wanted to let her lead the rest of the Bible study, because she clearly had a lot to teach me.
Since that moment I have thought about the woman's words. I have reflected on my testimony—the many stories I can share about the answers to prayer, the still small voice of reassurance, the mountaintop experiences, and the revelations in my depths of despair. I have many examples of when I have felt His presence in my life and those experiences have taught me that I can count on Him. He was there; He is there; He will be there. Our testimonies are not stories with a beginning and an ending. They are unfolding sagas of a lifelong love affair with the living God.

I have always thought of my testimony as something I can use to inspire and encourage others, but had never thought of it as something I could use to encourage and inspire myself. God is faithful and He has proved it over and over. I can look back over my life and trace His hand, feel His presence and trust His purpose.

What is your testimony? How can it inspire you today? What do you need to remember from the past that will speak into your life today? Let your testimony speak to you today.

Dear Lord, thank You for always working in my life. When I get discouraged, let me see that You worked in my life in the past and You are at work now. Help me to recall my testimony so that I can feel Your presence. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Visit Marybeth’s blog for more encouragement today!

The Mailbox by Marybeth Whalen

Thin Places: A Memoir by Mary DeMuth

Micca Campbell’s Testimony (DVD) and Lysa TerKeurst’s Testimony (CD)

________________________________________
When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of life-changing ministry P31 provides at no cost. We simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you! ________________________________________

Application Steps:

Begin a list of times that God has come through for you in big and little ways. Keep that list somewhere you can access it easily. Add to it as God brings things to mind or as new things happen. During times of discouragement, pull that paper out and experience His presence.

Reflections:
Have you ever thought about your testimony ministering to you? Do you spend time thinking about God's past faithfulness or do you tend to always look ahead?

Power Verses:
Psalm 9:10, "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you." (NIV)

Psalm 145:18-19, "The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cries and saves them." (NIV)

© 2010 by Marybeth Whalen. All rights reserved.

Defined By God

Shari Braendel

"The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord." Psalm 45:11 (NIV)

One word. Flabbergasted.

That was the emotion I had coursing through my body as I sat at the coffee shop discussing my weight issues with a friend.

I told her I had recently cut out certain foods from my diet, but was continuing to maintain my "happy weight," that number the scale just seems extremely happy to faithfully report whether I have eaten healthy and exercised that week or not. We had a good laugh as she described how sometimes she locks her scale away so she's not tempted to jump on it every day just to find out if she's still her same "happy" self.

As a result of this conversation I realized that if I am not careful I can easily allow the scale, or the mirror, to become a compass that shifts my focus and points me in the wrong direction. It seems illogical, yet at times I look to this digital device, or this earthly reflection to gauge my emotional status and essentially define me.

The Bible tells us that the God of the universe is enthralled with our beauty. Seriously? Yes, indeed! He thinks we are amazing and wonderful. Unfortunately, more often than not, we look in the mirror and only see our flaws; hair that's just a mite too frizzy; a tummy that's a bit too fluffy; and thighs that have a few too many dimples on them. My friend Renee likes to call her cellulite "the fingerprints of God." One time I shared that with a group of women, and one of them said, "Well then He must have REALLY big hands!"

So, what would life look like if we accepted God workmanship? Can you imagine how different we would feel about ourselves if we glanced in the mirror and told God "thank You for making me so wonderfully"? If you listen closely, I bet you would hear Him respond, "All beautiful, you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you" (Song of Solomon 4:7, NIV).

No matter your size or shape, the number on your clothes tag or your scale, you are beautiful! Let's embrace that we are fine just the way we are because if God says so, then it's true!

Dear God, thank You for making me the way I am. Please help me to have more confidence. I will practice defining myself through Your eyes and not my own. I am grateful, and humbled to be Your beautiful daughter, and I can feel Your approving gaze upon me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Shari’s new book, Good Girls Don't have to Dress Bad: A Style Guide for Every Women is a complete, full-color, style guide with lots of pictures of real women of all shapes and sizes!

Visit Shari’s Blog to continue this conversation and to enter a contest to win a signed copy of Good Girls Don't have to Dress Bad: A Style Guide for Every Women along with your own set of personal color swatches to help aid in choosing your best colors when shopping.

Do You Know Him?

Behind Those Eyes: What's Really Going on Inside the Souls of Women by Lisa Whittle

Application Steps:
Make a list of five things you really like about your outer appearance.

When you find yourself in a funk, remember to define yourself through God's eyes.

Accept a compliment with a smile and a thank you.

Reflections:
When was the last time you gave yourself permission to treat yourself to something new? You are valuable to Him, and to those who love you. It is okay to take care of yourself too.

Does my scale define me?

Power Verses:
Psalm 139:14, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (NIV)

Song of Solomon 4:1, "How beautiful, you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful!" (NIV)

Ephesians 2:10, "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (NIV)

© 2010 by Shari Braendel. All rights reserved.

Out of the Waiting Room

Susan Meissner, She Reads Featured Author

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

Picture a doctor's waiting room: cushioned chairs, a display of colorful magazines, soothing music wafting above your head, perhaps an aquarium of sparkling fish. Why does the doctor provide such a calming environment? Because he or she knows that by and large, people do not like to wait there. Truth is, we don't much like to wait anywhere for any length of time.

And we often cringe at the mere idea of waiting on God - more than any other kind of waiting. He is so frequently not in a hurry. We don't want to learn patience by waiting, though it is often the best way to learn it.

But consider for a moment the flipside. Consider for a moment those times when the waiting room door has been thrown open but we're still sitting in the chair by the fish, afraid to get up, get out and get moving. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where we sense God nudging us to step out, but instead we're oddly content to just wait it out - perhaps hoping someone else will make the move we're supposed to make.

Just as there are times when God wants us to wait on Him; there are times when He calls us to action. And just as we need to listen for His voice in times of waiting, we need to obey His prompting when the wait is over.

When God told Moses to send spies into the land of Canaan, only two of the twelve came back from the mission ready to do what God was prompting them to do. The others wanted to head back to the waiting room, grab a magazine and hang out with the fish! They were afraid to move forward in faith, even though they had seen God time and again prepare a way for them in the wilderness and then lead them through it. God asked that these people take a step of faith and trust Him for what lay past the waiting room door. He didn't kick them out of the waiting room. He asked them to leave it, and they chose not to. History shows us what they missed (Numbers 13:26-14:25).

Are there perhaps blessings you have asked for but then have refused to pursue? Have you been hanging back in the waiting room – perhaps because you've allowed fear to convince you it's better to be safe and ineffective than risk being used by God?

The waiting room has its purpose. It is the place where you get mentally ready for what comes next. You are not meant to live there. You were designed for the world outside. And it waits for you!

Dear Lord, enable us this day to throw off self-doubts and fear so that we may obey You, serve You and live out our purpose for You. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit and empower us to do all that You have called and equipped us to do. Forgive us for being content with sitting in the waiting room when You've called us to come out. Ignite in us a passion to live our faith loudly. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner, a She Reads featured author

What to do in the W.A.I.T: Finding Contentment in God's Pauses and Plans (CD) by Wendy Pope

An Untroubled Heart: Finding Faith that is Stronger than My Fears by Micca Campbell

Trusting God Despite Fear, free devotion to encourage you
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When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you! ________________________________________

Application Steps:
Stop waiting for a deeper prayer life and start prayer journaling. Visit the She Reads blog where we are giving away a prayer journal, plus the antique ring from the cover of the novel Lady in Waiting. Several copies of Susan Meissner's latest novel Lady in Waiting will be awarded as well.

Reflections:
Is there a decision pressing on you that you've been afraid to make? Pray for courage and wisdom from the Lord, and then share this need with a trusted friend who will help you take the next step of "getting out of your waiting room chair."

What keeps you from being strong and courageous? List those things. What would God have you do with thought patterns that originate out of fear and doubt?

Power Verses:
2 Corinthians 9:8, "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (NIV)

Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (NIV)

© 2010 by Susan Meissner. All rights reserved.

The Pearl's Price

Rachel Olsen

"When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!" Matthew 13:46 (NLT)

Famous jeweler Pierre Cartier purchased the Fifth Avenue mansion that is now his New York jewelry store for $100 cash. Plus a double strand of matched natural pearls.

Natural pearls, as opposed to cultivated ones, are rare and valuable. That double strand Mr. Cartier paid with in 1917 was valued at $1 million!

A few years ago I decided I wanted a strand of pearls – they're just so classy, and a staple of southern accessorizing. I quickly discovered the retail mark-up at brick-and-mortar jewelry stores can be three times as high as an online retailer. That's money I could save to spend on other things. But then again, I'd have to buy the strand sight-unseen when buying online. Could be risky.

What's a gal to do? Pay full retail with the assurance of getting something of quality, or save some money to spend on another desire and risk receiving something of little worth in return? Maybe even risk getting something counterfeit.

This is really the question of our lives.

What is worth "paying retail" for? Jesus tells us the Kingdom of God is—see what I mean in Matthew chapter 13. Here Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a pearl of superb quality:

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a pearl merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it! (vs. 45-46)." Jesus compared His kingdom to jewelry—this is a God after my own heart.

The pearl merchant that Jesus spoke of searched single-mindedly for quality treasure. He wasn't swayed by just any pretty round gem; he was looking to invest in the best. It was his quest. And when he found it, he didn't hesitate to pay full retail price—to go after it with sacrificing gusto.

I admire him—ready to invest all he had once he found a treasure worthy of such sacrifice. He knew what was most valuable, and he stayed after it. He boldly invested all he had, and was happy with that decision. I want to be a woman like that—a woman decisively investing my life in the Kingdom of God without waver and without regret.

Yet there are so many distractions. Shiny things in the marketplace catch my attention. Esteemed things in our culture tempt me to seek glory. Fun things in my life make me feel good and forget my former focus.

Bible commentator Matthew Henry writes, "All the children of men are busy … one would be rich, another would be honourable, another would be learned; but the most are imposed upon, and take up with counterfeits for pearls.… Jesus Christ is a Pearl of great price … in having him, we have enough to make us happy here and for ever."

Do we truly believe that Jesus is enough to make us happy—not just in eternity but here as well? Are you willing to bank everything on the notion that Jesus Christ is the supreme pearl? That's the underlying question of the parable of the pearl buyer, and the underlying question of our lives.

I never did buy that strand of pearls; instead I'm seeking to live as if Jesus is the choicest pearl anyone could find. I want to settle it in my heart that any sacrifice I make for Him or His Kingdom is worth more than the time, money, or effort it may require of me.

I'm choosing to put on Christ as my million-dollar, double strand pearl necklace, day after day. Yes, friends, I'm sporting some biblical bling.

What about you—are you willing today to sell out to the one true thing worth selling out to?

Dear Lord, You are superb, supreme and of surpassing value! Help me remember that today and act accordingly. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Click here to claim the Already Paid-for Pearl of Great Price for yourself.

Want to win a custom Lisa Leonard Designs necklace with your name and a pearl charm? Come to Rachel’s blog for a chance to win this fabulous necklace and a copy of her new book It’s No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know.

It’s No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know by Rachel Olsen
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When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you! ________________________________________

Application Steps:
What do you know Jesus has been asking you to do that you haven't done? Make the effort and do it. Pay the Pearl's price.

Reflections:
What are you tempted to sell your life out to more than Christ? And what is it's real worth?

Power Verses:
Mark 8:35, "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it." (NIV)

© 2010 by Rachel Olsen. All rights reserved.