“Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.” Hebrews 11:11 Sarah had to make many choices during her lifetime. One of the biggest ones was to believe that God’s promise to make Abraham a father of many nations was a promise that one day she would bear a son. Her life was not easy. Can you imagine how Sarah must have felt when Abraham announced that they were going on a journey, but he did not know what the…
“A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.” Ecclesiastes 10:2 KJV “A wise person chooses the right road, a fool takes the wrong one.” NLT While praying about what to write this month, the Lord keeps impressing the word “choices” upon my mind. There are so many stories in the Bible of people making choices – some good and some bad. As we look at their stories, the situations they faced, and the decisions they made, I hope that we can learn some lessons from them. A great American poet, Robert Frost, in his poem “The Road Not Taken” included the following: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” Life is filled with choices. Each one we make has far-reaching results and consequences that affect our lives and the lives of others. God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They were free to partake of every tree except one. We ask ourselves the question, “Why did Eve even go near that tree?” Surely, she had all the fruit she could eat without even…
A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. Isaiah 42:3 I love camping. There isn’t anything like building a fire, roasting marshmallows, and making yourself an ooey, gooey s’more. When you wake up in the morning after a night of indulging on marshmallows and graham crackers, there is just a remnant of ash, reminiscent of an all-consuming fire. It may look like all hope is lost. However, when you begin to move the ashes around you will see that there are red-hot embers burning underneath. Those embers still have a little fire left in them and when you put some kindling on top and begin to fan the flame, the fire will reignite. Some of you might feel like you have been cast away or feel like your fire has burnt out, but there is a hidden fire within you. Trust me, I’ve felt ice cold in my walk with God at times. If you feel that way today, I promise that there is still an ember burning in your life beneath any ash of failure or lack of ambition. How do I know this? Because…
The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him. Psalm 145:18 How many times has someone asked, “How are you doing?” And you reply, “I’m doing okay.” That response is a red flag for me. It signals that there is something wrong and that there is an unbalance in a person’s life. How do I know this? Because this was me last week. Someone asked, “How are you doing today, Sis Overton?” Without hesitating, I said, “I’m okay.” I wasn’t lying. I was overwhelmed with tasks and overburdened with situations that are completely out of my control. However,…
When God Speaks Has God ever spoken to you? Maybe it wasn’t an audible voice, but have you had a moment when you have received a divine word, direction, or supernatural peace from our Sovereign Lord? Every time God has spoken to me, I am left in awe of His love and constant faithfulness. A few years ago I was at the most broken place in my life. I would cry out to God, “Lord, I know that you put broken pieces together, but I feel like the pieces of my life have been ground into powder. Can you put powder together again? The Power Of Prayer It was during that time when I attended a church conference. I went through the motions—I wore a self-effacing smile and pretended my life was perfect. But, God knew my heart… and, right now, He knows yours, too. As I was praying, I felt someone’s arm wrap around me—it was my spiritual mentor. She began to pray for blessing, for open doors… for the usual. But then, her prayers shifted and she gave a message of tongues and then an interpretation. God spoke through her to give a broken, young woman insight on…
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men. 2 Corinthians 3:2 I did not think that sharing my life through writing would be so scary. Who knew that writing devotions would make my heart race? After all, they are only words on a page, right? Well, they are more than words on a page, they are pieces of my heart and fragments of my life’s story. I want people to know they are not alone in their struggle or victory. Like Paul said, “weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice, Romans 12:15.” Do you struggle with living your life as an open book? Our environment shapes the contours and ridges of our life. For me, I grew up with people telling me, “You need thicker skin, Angela.” These words echo in my ears when something touches me deeply or injures me emotionally. Years passed before I realized that there is nothing wrong with me, and that the world needs more people who feel empathy and who are sensitive. Most of us grow up feeling the pressure to paint a façade of perfection even when our lives are far from being utopian.…