“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17 There are over two-hundred bones in the human body, but nothing hurts more than a broken heart—it is an all consuming pain. As women, we are not too good at compartmentalizing our feelings (like men), so we will carry our hurt to work, to lunch with friends, and even to church. Maybe you are broken while reading this devotion right now. There may have been times when your life has been shattered into a million little pieces and it looks impossible to ever be mended again. God will never despise your brokenness. He will take the fragmented parts of your life and recreate them into a masterpiece. God loves you and He desires to be your strength in your time of weakness. We cannot walk through certain things all by ourselves. Some of you have been through storms in this life that you never thought you’d survive, and yet you have. God does not despise you; rather, He delights in you. Today, you can be a mended masterpiece. Prayer: Lord, continue to show me Your purpose in my pain. I…

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139:14, KJV. Blank Canvas I don’t know what it is about rainy weather that makes me want to be creative and cozy. Right now all I want to do is make a hot cup of coffee, cook a new comfort-food recipe, or paint something for my home.  Cozy things, you know? A few years ago I bought two blank canvases, acrylic paint, and paintbrushes. Hobby Lobby had a sale—that place can be such a danger zone! I purchased these items with the intention of painting, but when I arrived home I packed them in a storage closet. From time to time, I would take the canvases out, look at them, and then put them back. I was hesitant about painting on them because I did not want to ruin them by making a mistake and I didn’t want to waste my paint. Then—I had an epiphany. Wasting Potential  I realized I have been wasting my canvases for three years by not using them. The purpose of a canvas isn’t to sit in a dark closet in my house; its…

“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Colossians 3:17 The Greek word for “name” in the verse above is onoma, which means “name, character, reputation, authority.” According to Hebrew tradition, a person’s name is inseparable from the person to whom is belongs: thus, a name contains something of the essence of its owner. This is partially why the revelation of the name of Jehovah (Jesus Christ) in the New Testament is so momentous, and also why this command in Colossians is weightier than it first appears. Paul was not instructing the congregation in the book of Colossians, and us by extension, to merely evoke the name of Jesus every time they spoke or took action. Rather, he is encouraging us to act and speak in the authority and character of Jesus Christ; or, in other words, to act and speak as the body of Christ. This begs an important question: How can we expect to put our “old man” aside and assume the very nature and authority of Jesus Christ unless we know Jesus  a personal level? Who is Jesus Christ? He…

“I believe in you” are four powerful words. I am who I am because someone believed in me. When I attended Bible College, I realized I was different when I compared myself to others. I was different—I had no apparent giftings because I was too nervous to sing, play piano, teach, preach, or even read a scripture in front of people. Fear paralyzed me from pressing beyond my insecurities. In the midst of the incredible talent of others, their beauty, and charmed heritages I felt like I had nothing to offer God—other than my love. The Power of Believing One of my teachers at Bible College, Sister Ann, saw something in me before I saw anything in myself and she believed in me before anyone else did. Sister Ann created opportunities for me to minister in a safe environment where I could either fail or succeed without the pressure of a penalty or a reward. I was oblivious to the fact she was discipling me because she operated with love and faith, while demonstrating genuine care for my future ministry. I do not know who I would be without Sis. Ann’s encouragement in my life. She has passed on from…