Today's Devotion

If you have ever been to Canal Street in New York City, you will find a plethora of fake merchandise—anything from a faux Gucci bag, to a fake Rolex to Chanel purses with backward C’s on the pleather exterior. Many people do not care about authenticity anymore, plus it costs so much more to pay for designer prices, right? When a designer puts their own name on a product, it’s a stamp of quality and excellence. Tiffany & Co is named after its founder, Charles Tiffany, and has become the go-to jewelry store for the affluent and famous. Louis Vuitton…

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“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34–35 (NLT) The Power of a Heartbeat The human heart begins to beat within the first month of life in the womb. From that moment until the day it stops, it works tirelessly to keep us alive. 72 beats per minute on average Over 100,000 beats per day About 38 million beats per year Roughly 2.5 billion beats in a lifetime…

“…I make all things new.” Revelation 21:5. This week in Maryland has been wonderful; there is a gentle zephyr that invites warm weather, buds are forming on the ends of barren branches, and green shoots are rising from the ground—all promising a change in seasons. We have shining yellow daffodils blooming in our front yard, giving hope for what is to come; Spring. My husband and I took our daughter and son on a walk a few days ago and it felt so good to have the warmth of the sun beam down on our faces. The wonderment in their…

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6. About two years ago, I began praying that the Lord would show me when it was time to give up my car and quit driving. For the last few months, I have felt strongly that the time had come to do so. The lease on my apartment will renew on May 1, so it was a good time to give up my parking space in the garage. Today, I went through…

Shame is a worldwide issue; it creeps into people’s minds at midnight, during a happy moment with family, or even when we sit in a pew at church. Shame is a device of the enemy that hinders us from running after God because it oftentimes causes us to run from Him. Today, you may feel encumbered by the shame of your past or missed opportunities due to uncontrollable circumstances. What is one thing that will combat shame? Forgiveness. The word forgive means to release. What do you need to release into God’s hands today? 1 John 1:9 states, If we…