Recent Devotions
When my husband and I decided to move our family from Oregon to Utah, it was quite a change. I didn’t expect the long winters or the hot summers, but Utah was—and still is—a beautiful place. After living there for three years, I began working as a substitute teacher in several school districts. One of the things I was often complimented on was how peaceful I seemed, even while dealing with challenging students. Don’t get me wrong—I love teaching kids—but this job was not always easy. Teachers and faculty would say, “You have such a calming spirit.” What they didn’t…
The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. (Exodus 15:2, NLT) Miriam picked up her hem as she sprinted ahead. Her heartbeat quickened; her breath came in short gasps as she forged forward. Fear taunted as her hair whipped around her face. She had to…
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” — Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) We have all been wronged at some point and felt the desire to get even. But what is forgiveness? In the Bible, forgiveness means releasing charges against someone—letting go…
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In him (Jesus) we live, and move, and have our being. Acts 17:28 In every area of life, God needs to be our source—we need Him to survive. A fish has life in the water—the water is its source of life. However, if you take the fish out of water, it will die. Similarly, when we are disconnected from the source of our spiritual life, we will begin to feel weighted down, weak, and discouraged to the point of giving up. If you can relate, take sometime to get reconnected in God’s presence today. When we are connected to the source…
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV) It’s January, the start of a new year. Many consider it an opportunity for a fresh start. We can put last year’s disappointments and failures behind us and begin with a clean slate. We make resolutions, choose a focus word for the year, set goals, and begin our journey toward self-improvement. Also during this month, many churches set times of prayer and fasting to help us focus on the spiritual. checking my priorities…
“The people of Israel shall camp each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses. They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side.” (Numbers 2:2, ESV) To say that God gave Moses a challenging undertaking in leading the children of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land would be an understatement. The company of people was large, the living conditions difficult, and their devotion to the task at hand questionable. At the best of times, the Israelites vowed to follow God and live by His commandments. At the worst of times, they became rebellious,…
“And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank… Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names…” (Daniel 1:5–7, KJV). “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong” (First Corinthians 16:13, NLT). Most of us know the story of Daniel—the young man taken captive to Babylon and chosen to serve in King Nebuchadnezzar’s royal court. Far from home and surrounded by a foreign language, strange customs, and idol worship, Daniel and…
