Encouragement for Today

[Judy Harder]

 November 27, 2012

Found Hope
Nicki Koziarz


"For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." Romans 15:4 (NASB)

We were out of options. The day the Sherriff's car pulled into our driveway, I knew what was coming. After a series of unfortunate events, things had gone from bad to worse to hopeless.

Her friendly, official, sheriff smile did nothing to relieve the emotional discomfort of this dreadful moment. The neighbors peeked through their blinds to see what was happening.

As she handed me the papers, I took them with tears in my eyes.

Looking at the baby in my arms and toddler peeking out from behind me, this kind woman genuinely said, "I'm sorry."

"Thank you," I whispered, as I slowly closed the door.

I sat down on our stairs and read through the official documents. Elaborate lawyer terms, forceful sounding laws I didn't understand, and words bolded in dark ink conveyed the dreadful news; "You must vacate the premises within thirty days."

Foreclosure.

It was unwanted and unavoidable. It felt shameful and embarrassing. And the foreclosure of our home was an aching process of letting go.

The carefully painted mustard-yellow walls: I would miss them so much. How would I survive without the daily afternoon play dates with my neighbor and her children? And what about all those hot dog dinners my husband and I ate to save pennies to buy this sweet home?

So much was about to be taken from us. Just like that.

I didn't understand why God would allow us to walk this humbling road. We had trusted Him, why hadn't He provided?

Any hope I had left in God faded fast. It wasn't something I could muster back up on my own. No, I needed others to fill the gap for me.

In scripture Paul wrote, "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." (Romans 15:4 NASB)

I learned during this devastating season, when our hearts become grounds of broken dreams, we may need to turn to the hope others have found.

The Bible holds deep historical roots of hope waiting for us to uncover.

We can find hope because ...

Abraham and Sarah found hope by believing while it seemed impossible for them to get pregnant, it was possible for God. (Genesis 15, 17-18)

We can find hope because ...

Ruth and Naomi found hope by moving their lives forward after losing their family. (Ruth 3)

We can find hope because ...

Mary and Martha found hope when they saw Jesus could do anything, including raising their brother from the dead. (John 11)

As I closed the door to our home for the last time, I accepted this place of brokenness. But I also made a choice to find hope no matter what.

I found hope through the eyes of wonder my daughters had as they explored our new rental house. I found hope when my mom helped me unpack our boxes and organize toys. I found hope when my husband's heart drew closer to mine through this difficult experience.

Hope is at the core of who we are as followers of Jesus. As we allow hope to flow into us, it will flow through us even in the most difficult circumstances.

If you feel hopeless in this season of your life, will you look back at those who had hope in Scripture to give you courage to have hope for your future? Hope, it heals our broken dreams.

Dear Lord, thank You for the hope You give us to heal the broken places in our lives. May we have the strength to find hope in all the places that feel hopeless today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do you know the God of all hope?

Today on Nicki's blog she has started a hope-inspired challenge! Click here to check it out.

An Untroubled Heart by Micca Campbell

Reflect and Respond:
If you are feeling hopeless, reach out to someone and ask her to share a time where God has given hope.

What is an area in your life you are seeking hope from God? Leave a comment today and let's share our hope struggles.

Power Verses:
1 Peter 1:3, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (NIV)

Romans 5:5, "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (NIV 1984)

© 2012 by Nicki Koziarz. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

November 28, 2012

Do You Have "I" Issues?
Jennifer Rothschild


"He must become greater; I must become less." - John 3:30 (NIV)

In the late '70s I sat with my folks in a hospital room in the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. The doctors who had just completed tests on my eyes were explaining what it meant to have retinitis pigmentosa. They described how I would slowly lose my remaining sight and eventually be totally blind. My mind raced and my heart welled with confusing emotions. I was silent in that hospital room that day.

A few days later at my next visit, I only wish I had been silent.

We went back to the same room with some of the same doctors. This time it was to help me get on a rehabilitative program. One doctor described how large, thick glasses might help with the little vision I still had. Another discussed walking with a cane. Another doctor told me how important it was for me to have an oversized magnifying glass and advised me to use a flashlight to find my locker at school.

They stepped out of the room, and with full adolescent belligerence I ranted to my parents. "I will not wear any of that junk or use that embarrassing stuff! No way! I will not look weird!"

Just as I finished my outburst, the door opened and my new rehab counselor "rolled" in. Being legally blind, I couldn't see him well enough to detect what my mom described to me later.

He was blind in one eye, his face was disfigured, he was missing an arm, and his legs evidently weren't functional. What I could detect, even without sight, was that his voice was only audible by using an apparatus that made it sound synthesized.

Unfortunately he arrived just in time to hear my tirade about looking weird.

I was mortified by how self-centered I acted. I was humiliated by my own smallness and pride. I know he was a professional who most likely understood my immature response, but he also was a man who had lost his former physique and abilities, and who probably felt "weird" when he looked in the mirror. I was so ashamed.

I was only a few days into learning to live with blindness when I received my first lesson: when I am most self-aware, I am most miserable. Even today, as a 48-year-old woman, I still feel tinges of self-pity, self-awareness and self-absorption.

"I don't feel that's fair to me."
"Do I look okay in these jeans?"
"I don't think she likes me."
"I look weird when I can't make eye contact. I don't want people to notice."
"I need, I want, I wish."

When a big "I" is the center of our thoughts and feelings, we truly are miserable!

Perhaps that's because "I" is also in the center of pride and sin. Ouch!

Jesus said in John 12:24 that "... unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone." Alone is a miserable place to be.

"But," Christ continued, "if it dies, it bears much fruit." (ESV) The principle is this: when it is all about us, we are like that seed that is unwilling to die. Consequently, we find ourselves alone in the prison of our own self-awareness. But, when we are willing to turn our big "I" into a little "I," we are then ready to experience real life, satisfying life.

God is teaching me that true self-esteem comes from being reduced—less of me, more of Him. As I am willing to relinquish my sense of self—self-pity, self-awareness and self-absorption—I am finding simplicity in an identity that comes from His life in me, rather than an identity based upon me, myself and I.

Today, let's choose to be more full of God than we are of ourselves.

Dear Lord, I want to decrease so You will increase in me. May I be like a seed, willing to die, so I can truly live and give life to others. May my letter "I" not be in pride or sin, but may it be found in Christ. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Jesus?

Missing Pieces: Real Hope When Life Doesn't Make Sense by Jennifer Rothschild

Me, Myself and Lies: A Thought-Closet Makeover by Jennifer Rothschild

Read more encouragement from Jennifer by clicking here.

Reflect and Respond:
Ways to shrink your letter "I":
1. Focus on someone else's needs. Yours will feel less obvious.
2. Grant someone else the attention you are trying to get for yourself.
3. Begin your day with this question, "How may I serve You today, Lord?"

Power Verses:
Matthew 22:37-39: "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (NIV)

Psalm 27:8: "My heart says of you, 'Seek his face!' Your face, Lord, I will seek." (NIV)

Philippians 2:3-4: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." (NIV)

© 2012 by Jennifer Rothschild. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

 November 29, 2012

I Know How to Manipulate
Lysa TerKeurst


"The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." - Isaiah 58:11 (NIV)

Just because something great happens doesn't mean it is from God. I know this is true because I know how to manipulate and make great things happen.

Honestly, I hate that word—manipulate. It rubs something rough and grainy into the softer places of my heart.

But there it is. And I know it. Because sometimes I do it. I manipulate.

I know how to sell an idea I think is really great.

I know how to go the extra mile.

I know how to strategize to make my plan seem like a great strategy.

And not that any of this is intrinsically bad. Some of these things are great qualities God can certainly use in good ways.

But what if I use these skills and talents outside God's will? To push past God's timing, God's direction, God's plan to teach me stuff in the process?

Sometimes I think He lets us push past His better plan to experience the consequences of our headstrong attitude. Boy do I know all about that. I've jumped headfirst into something I thought I wanted so much, only to find extreme stress, fear, anxiety and an overwhelming sense of regret.

It's great to know how to sell an idea. But it's not great to do it outside God's will.

It's great to go the extra mile. But it's not great to do it out of a desire to secure what I want—rather than out of a desire to serve another.

It's great to strategize and have a plan. But it's not great if that plan stretches me so I seek my desires more than God's desires.

I am learning. Learning to not always push so hard. Run so fast. And desire so much more.

Recently I had the opportunity to be considered for something huge. Really huge.

And I knew how to secure it.

I knew the words I could use to sell my idea. I knew I could go the extra mile with my pitch and look impressive. I knew a strategy that could be implemented and the plan to propose.

But what I didn't know is if this was God's plan or my desire.

If I knew for sure it was God's plan, all my efforts wouldn't be manipulation—they'd be smart. But I didn't know.

Therefore, all my pushing and plotting were manipulation. So, I stopped. I backed off. I stepped aside.

I waited.

And then I doubted. It was hard to watch the opportunity possibly slip away. But I reminded myself that this was a place where my trust in God has to step in. This was one of those times when a deeper faith could be found.

I can rest in the assurance that if something is to be, it isn't up to me. It's up to God. It's not that I just sit back and don't pursue things. I do. But I give what I can give without manipulation. And then I wait for God to give what only He can give. So, if He makes it happen without all my chaotic self-effort, then I will know it is His best.

And if it doesn't happen, I will thank Him for saving me from myself.

Dear Lord, I am so grateful for Your everlasting love and vision for my life. Help me to embrace the fact that Your plans are so much greater than mine. Humble my heart in the moments when I try to maintain control so that I can fully serve You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Sometimes it's easier to follow our gut response, rather than wait on God's direction. In her book Unglued, Lysa TerKeurst shares great wisdom on embracing God's ways, not ours.Click here to purchase a copy.

Why not gather some friends and study Unglued together with the DVD and Participant's Guide?

Reflect and Respond:
Do you ever catch yourself manipulating past God's plans to secure your own desire?

God wants you to give up your own agenda and trust in His plans for your life! Set aside some time every day to reflect on Bible verses dedicated to this particular issue. Having this daily reminder of God's sovereignty will help you to recognize when your own desires are taking precedence over His will.

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)

Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (NIV)

© 2012 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

 November 30, 2012

What It Takes to Struggle with Something Hard
Rachel Olsen


"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:37 (NIV)

Beginning in my twenties, I wrestled each day with chronic pain and fatigue. The first few years of it, doctors had no idea why.

Then came the diagnosis: fibromyalgia.

I was told this condition was poorly understood, not very treatable, and also not reversible. In fact, they called it "degenerative," meaning it would worsen as I aged. In short, doctors said I had no chance to conquer this pain.

The pain worsened for a couple years and I couldn't image what my life would be like five, ten or fifty years down the road. I prayed for deliverance.

Looking back I'm astonished that despite my pain, I continued to work a full time job and take courses for a master's degree. I really don't know how I did that—except through Christ—because it was such a struggle daily. To concentrate on my work or schoolwork took an inordinate amount of effort because I had to focus over top of the ever-present pain in the foreground. Not to mention, a lack of quality sleep.

Fibromyalgia was the thorn in my side, quite literally. And I leaned into God for strength. Often through tears.

A long-distance friend wrote me this week to tell me she was experiencing a near debilitating condition: fibromyalgia. She gave me permission to share a portion of what she wrote:

"Life has thrown me some pretty horrible punches and I have always gotten right back up. Except now. And to be honest with you, Rach, this is NOT a LIFE! And I can't BELIEVE that GOD would do this to me ... why isn't He healing me? All He has to do is say the word! I BEG Him to do that daily. While He keeps His mouth shut [on the healing] He did give me Psalm 88 the other night, and I cried a river. I was jumping for joy in my heart, but at the same time. Do you know what I mean?"

I did know what she meant. So I told her my story. I told her that I walked this painful path too. I gave her my best tips for physically managing this condition. I told her how I tried to do all the right things according to my doctors. How I prayed, and prayed, and prayed for healing—sometimes out of faith and sometimes out of desperation.

I told her how, seven years after my pain began, I was walking by a lake one day praying yet again for deliverance from this. And while I had often sensed God heard my prayers, this time I sensed He also answered. I sensed deliverance.

Year-eight saw me pain free from fibromyalgia—the incurable, degenerative condition doctors don't totally understand. My condition stopped degenerating that evening by the lake and instead began improving.

So in honesty and with compassion I told my friend:

"Will God heal you soon? I don't know."

"His ways are higher than our ideas of how things should go. But I can tell you this: It is possible. He hears your prayers and He is not indifferent to your plight. God loves you. Above all, don't equate your suffering with how God feels about you."

Because despite all this stuff we're struggling with, victory is ours through Christ who loves us.

I don't know what your story is today—what you are struggling with or against. But I know this: God knows your situation and He is not indifferent toward it or you. He loves you mightily! And His right arm is not too short to save you.

So lean into Him because you need His strength until His deliverance comes.

Lean in, pray and persevere despite the pain you are in. And keep hope alive in your heart. For this is how we struggle with something hard while holding the title "More than Conquerors in Christ." In Him overwhelming victory is ours.

Dear Lord, thank You for rescuing me from all my troubles–either here and now, or in eternity. Strengthen me until your deliverance is seen. I believe victory is overwhelmingly mine through You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Rachel's blog today and leave her a prayer request. She will pray for you.

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

Reflect and Respond:
Study and take heart today in the truth from Romans 8:18: "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (NIV)

Power Verses:
Romans 8:22-25, "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." (NIV)

© 2012 by Rachel Olsen. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

December 3, 2012

When You're Wrong, Even Though You're Right
Wendy Blight


"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." - Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

My stomach churned in a mix of grief and anger. I was shocked with disbelief. A Bible study leader I knew had blatantly disobeyed God's truths. I was frustrated, and honestly I was angry, too.

Righteous anger. Have you ever experienced it? That justifiable anger that rises up within you when you know someone is acting in a way that dishonors God. That anger Jesus expressed when He walked into the Temple and found the moneychangers doing business in God's house, defiling Holy ground.

Righteous anger is a good thing. However, what we do with it is another matter.

I shared my feelings about this leader's behavior with my husband and another couple during dinner one night. Was I gossiping? In the moment, I didn't think so. In fact, I felt okay talking about this leader since they'd engaged in behavior I thought was "unchristian."

Everyone at dinner agreed with me and disapproved, which validated my feelings. I took comfort in how good it felt that I wasn't alone.

However, the next day as I sat in church, God spoke in a powerful way through the sermon. Our pastor taught about idle gossip and character assassination, and how our words matter. Each word penetrated my heart like a double-edged sword.

I too was a spiritual leader. And I had disobeyed God's Word as I judged another believer in the presence of others. Had I talked out of righteous anger? No. Idle gossip? Yes. Character assassination? Definitely.

In the quietness of that moment in church, I felt conviction.

Not guilt. Not shame. But conviction.

The difference between these emotions is that guilt and shame are about us, and they are unproductive. They leave us stagnant, in a bad place with God and others.

Conviction, on the other hand, is about God. It's a productive emotion from the Holy Spirit to let us know that we have not pleased Him. With conviction, God speaks truth into our hearts and empowers us to change so we live in a way that's pleasing to Him.

That day, the Holy Spirit gave me a truth that I committed to memory.

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)

I promised the Lord that morning, I will hold my tongue. I will only speak words that will build others up and benefit those listening. Or, at least, I will try.

Paul gives a great tip on how to accomplish this in 2 Corinthians 10:5:

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (NIV)

Next time, I commit to take my words captive BEFORE they come out of my mouth. I pray that I will not speak words that tear down, but only words that build up. Will you join me in this resolve?

Dear Lord, help me to be a woman after Your own heart, one who speaks only what is helpful for building others up. And when I am tempted to speak unwholesome or critical words, help me to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Thank You that in Your strength I will be successful because I can do all things through You Who strengthens me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

Visit Wendy's blog and join her new online study, Living "So That:" Our Call to Action.

All Things Wise and Wonderful: Applying God's Wisdom in Everyday Life by Wendy Blight.

Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst

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!

Reflect and Respond:
How can you take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ? List some practical examples from your own experiences.

Ephesians 5:1 calls us to live a life of love. Spend some time thinking about how this call to live a life of love intersects the call to speak only words that build others up rather than tear them down.

Power Verse:
2 Corinthians 10:5, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (NIV)

© 2012 by Wendy Blight. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

December 4, 2012

When Your Bag is Heavy and Your Faith Feels Small
Emily P. Freeman


"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

New York City is alive with the late fall air. Faith stands next to me, her blonde hair blows across her face just as the carriage pulls in front of us.

We flew to the city to stay with friends and celebrate Faith's birthday. During this entire trip I've felt a nagging sense of anxiety and worry over what's going on back home. It isn't one thing in particular, but I can't shake the heaviness. I clench my jaw and know I'm carrying around a sense of responsibility to manage things outside of my control.

It's our turn to ride. We get the carriage pulled by white horses, a detail I feel compelled to mention because it seems the ones pulled by white horses are more important than the ones pulled by regular brown horses.

The two girlfriends who are with us live here in the city. Though they roll their eyes over the cliché they've become by hanging out with us (A carriage ride through Central Park? Really must we?) they love us enough to climb up and squeeze tight into the red velvet covered benches.

The black bag on my shoulder is packed to nearly unzippable extremes with my camera, wallet, extra gloves and bottle of water. It's heavy, and my right shoulder aches beneath the weight of it.

I plop it down on the floor of the carriage just as the wheels begin to move.

Faith laughs at something the driver says. I watch as she throws back her head and claps her small, gloved hands, my bag sitting at her feet.

I remember a story I heard a long time ago about a horse and buggy and a man with a heavy load. The man climbs into a horse-drawn buggy and keeps his pack on his back once he sits down.

When asked if he would like to remove it, he answers, "Oh no, I couldn't do that. I wouldn't want the horse to have to work so hard. I'll just carry it myself."

I can't help but smile. I can see the ears of the horses in front of me, their heads bobbing up and down carrying me, my girlfriends...and my heavy bag.

I never once thought to keep my bag strapped to my shoulder so the horses wouldn't have to carry the load. That would be needless, as they were already doing the work. Why should I do it, too?

Matthew 11:28 comes to mind. Jesus issues an invitation to the weary, the burdened, the heavy-laden. He offers rest from heavy burdens to those of us who insist on carrying bags on carriage rides.

The clip-clopping of horse hooves tap out a gentle rhythm as we ride. My friends chat and laugh, yellow leaves swirl out from underneath us, and I feel a shift inside my heart.

The horses aren't just carrying my bag. They're carrying me.

We have a God who can be trusted with not only our burdens, but also ourselves. He sees and cares and notices.

He will not come undone.

He remains un-overwhelmable.

Dear Lord, gather us up into Your arms with all of our longings, fears, worries and burdens. We admit how futile it is for us to carry these things on our own. May we instead release them into your hands and walk with you by grace through faith. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

If you tend to take on responsibility for things never meant for you to carry, check out Emily Freeman's books, Grace for the Good Girl: Letting Go of the Try Hard Life and Graceful {For Young Women}.

For daily encouragement, visit Emily's blog, Chatting at the Sky, where she creates photos and stories to make a place for your soul to breathe.

Reflect and Respond:
Are you carrying the burden of things you can't control?

Let's imagine what life could look like if you dared to believe God carried both you and your burdens. How would today be different?

Power Verses:
2 Corinthians 12:9-10, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (NIV)

Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God." (NIV)

© 2012 by Emily P. Freeman. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

 December 5, 2012

Battle in the Night
Lynn Cowell


"By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me - a prayer to the God of my life." - Psalm 42:8 (NIV)

How could this have happened? What could I have done to stop it? One of my kids had made a decision that sent my emotions into a tailspin.

Another sleepless night was upon me; my mind wouldn't shut off. I had done so well during the day, trying to focus my heart and mind on God's promise to make all things work together for good. But as day faded into night, the struggle to trust became more than I could take.

Many nights as I lie in bed, my mind pulls me into a spiral, tempting me to focus on my troubles. It's then and there that the battle is the most intense. A war is waged between my faith and my fears.

What if my loved one never knows Jesus?
Will my kids make the right choices with their peers?
What can I do for my friend who struggles with cancer?

Even though my body is still, the battles rage in my heart and mind.

Do you ever struggle in the quiet of the night? Maybe you have thoughts like: Nobody else has troubles. Other people are just enjoying their lives. Why is mine so hard? The battles we face are real, and rob us of sleep and joy.

We can take a cue from King David's words in Psalm 42:8. During the day he allowed the Lord's love to direct him. Knowing he was loved gave him the strength to make the hard choices that were the best choices.

At night he put away all the words and hard thinking and just praised God.

Might we give David's ways a try and do the same? When the lights are turned out, we can choose a song of praise, arming ourselves with truth and worship for the only One who can carry and fix our troubles. When our minds try to take a turn and go around that problem one more time, let's make the choice to stop and sing (even if only in our heads).

I gave this a try the other night while stewing over my worries. It reminded me of a sign my mom has in her home. "Give me all your troubles before you go to bed. I'm going to be up anyway." — God.

Right now, let's pick a song we'll sing at night when trouble comes knocking and worry wants to run rampant in our heart and mind. Make your prayer a song to God and choose a song of praise to sing to Him all day long - from sunrise to late in the evening. Watch your heart go from fear to faith as you trust in the Lord.

Dear Lord, I feel stronger in the day than in the night. Bring to mind a song of praise I can sing that will lift my heart and cause me to trust in You, morning and night. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Help a teen girl in your life learn to trust Jesus every day of this coming new year with Lynn Cowell's new book Devotions for a Revolutionary Year - 365 Days of Jesus' Radical Love for You. It would make a meaningful Christmas gift!

Sign up for Lynn's FREE "7-day Faith Builder" - a week's worth of free devotions to share with your daughter, or another girl you know, to help build her faith and confidence.

Visit Lynn's website to find additional ways to overcome fear and worry. She's giving away a "Faith Builder" gift pack too!

Reflect and Respond:
Write Psalm 42:8 on an index card. Put it next to your bed to remind you to look to Him as you go to sleep.

When the lights are turned off, we can choose a song of praise, arming ourselves with truth and worship for the only One who can carry and fix our troubles. When our mind tries to take a turn and go around that problem one more time, we can choose to stop and sing our song of praise.

Power Verses:
Psalm 94:18-19, "When I said, 'My foot is slipping,' your unfailing love, LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy." (NIV)

Exodus 15:2, "The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him." (NIV 1984)

© 2012 by Lynn Cowell. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

 December 10, 2012

An Unhurried Holiday
Karen Ehman


"So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger." Luke 2:16 (NIV)

"Hurry up! We're going to be late to the choir concert!"

"Come on kids. Help me unload these groceries right now. I've got to get these cookies baked before bedtime."

"Is it 6 a.m. already? I gotta get to that door buster sale as soon as it opens so I don't miss out on the deals!"

With the holiday season upon us, the music at the mall announces that folks are dreaming of a white Christmas. That may be true. But in reality, many women are dreaming of something else white: a little more white space on our December calendars!

Pageants. Parties. Shopping trips. Baking days. Wrapping nights. At every turn there are people to see, things to do, stuff to buy. The hustle and bustle of this supposed-to-be-happy season can knock the holly-jolly right out of our holidays and replace it with hurried-up headaches instead.

As a result, our calendars become overloaded, crowding out the spiritual significance of the season.

I wonder if the participants in the original Christmas story ever dreamed that the celebration of Christ's birth would become so hassled and hurried. The shepherds? The angels? The wise men? Mary and Joseph too?

Was hurriedness present the night Jesus was born? We might think that it was not. But actually, there was hurry present that night. However, it wasn't to the mall or grocery store that people were rushing.

The shepherds were working in the fields when suddenly an ensemble of angels told them the Christ Child had been born. Luke 2:16 says they hurried off to find Him lying in a manger.

If I had been one of those shepherds, I would have been quiet and amazed once I got there. Being around a newborn baby makes me speak in a hushed tone and feel such awe as I see new life. In the presence of Jesus I wonder if those men too were settled and silent.

Maybe we could do the same today. In the midst of our holiday hustle and tasks, we could stop; leave our work. We could slow down long enough to hurry in another direction. We could put our activities on hold so we might quietly meet with our Lord. We could be settled and silent in the presence of Jesus.

As a result we just might discover an unhurried holiday: a season that will strengthen us spiritually instead of sapping our energy and joy.

How about it? Will we pause and purpose to hurry into His presence instead of rushing from task to task? Dare we linger long enough to be refreshed by the company of the One whom the holiday is really about? The tasks will wait while we do.

Here's to more "white space" this Christmas; space that creates more room in our days for meeting with Jesus!

Dear Lord, remind me daily that it's You I should rush to during the holiday hustle. Not things. Not activities. I want to seek and find only You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Want an unhurried holiday? Visit Karen's blog to sign up to receive by email her 5-Days "From Chaos to Calm: The LET. IT. GO. Christmas Challenge"

Untangling Christmas: Your Go-to Guide for a Hassle-Free Holiday by Karen Ehman and LeAnn Rice

LET. IT. GO.: How to Stop Running the Show and Start Walking in Faith by Karen Ehman

Reflect and Respond:
What activities and responsibilities threaten to make you rushed and stressed at the holidays?

Pull away from the holiday hustle and spend time with Jesus.

Power Verses:
Luke 2:15, "When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'" (NIV)

Proverbs 8:17, "I love those who love me, and those who search for me find me." (HCSB)

© 2012 by Karen Ehman. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

December 11, 2012

Planted By Streams
Wendy Pope


"He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." - Psalm 1:3 (NIV 1984)

After marrying the man of my dreams, I thought my happily-ever-after had begun. And it did ... for a while. We had a cute Cape Cod on Logan Street, I taught fourth grade, and we enjoyed sweet friends in our church. Life was not only good; it was great.

But "great" quickly departed when changes came our way with a new job in a new city and a new house filled with a new baby. My husband's job meant he was gone ... a lot. Which meant I was alone ... a lot.

The transition to so much time alone was difficult, but it helped me see something was missing. At first I had no idea what it was or where to find it; I just knew it wasn't something I could get in my home, child or husband.

It took a while, but eventually I became keenly aware of what was missing: God wasn't part of my happily-ever-after. I had left Him out. At a young age I'd accepted Jesus as my Savior, but I had never surrendered to Him or spent much time with Him praying or reading the Bible.

A soul that is saved but not in relationship with Christ is void of His fullness. I was living in the void.

God heard the cries from my unfulfilled heart and led me to Scripture. On that day I opened my Bible to Psalm 1 and found this fulfilling truth:

"... his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." (vs. 2-3 NIV 1984)

God tenderly let me see my tree (life) was planted in places far from the streams of His living water. I had planted myself beside the streams of the world, seeking its temporary joy and fulfillment. Planting myself there, away from Him left me thirsty. The unfertile soil and lack of hydration caused me to wither.

Meditating on His Word was the key to finding what I was missing. It never occurred to me God's instructions could be delightful, or that thinking of them day and night was even possible. "How does one meditate on Your Word day and night and still get things done Lord?" I asked.

In a faint whisper I felt the Lord encourage me, "Start here."

For the next 150 days I read a chapter a day in the book of Psalms. Actually, I spent more than one day reading Psalm 119. Have you seen Psalm 119? Its 176 verses were a bit intimidating for this newbie in the Word!

Is your life planted close to God? Does your heart have fertile soil for His Word to prosper? If you feel like me on that day I opened my Bible—lonely, thirsty and withering away, today can the beginning of your refreshment!

Dear Lord, I want to open my Bible and allow You to plant the seeds of change in my heart. Following the ways of the world have made me feel as if I am withering. Thank You that Your Word has the power to change me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

Would you like to bring the message of this devotion to the women of your church? Click here to have Wendy Pope as your next retreat / key note speaker.

Visit Wendy's blog as she celebrates the release of her new eBook Bible study, Trusting God for a Better Tomorrow. Enter to win one of four copies and learn how you can be part of her new life-changing online Bible Study starting in January.

This week Wendy is celebrating the release of Trusting God for a Better Tomorrow, by giving away a free MP3 of her audio teaching about King David, What to do in the W.A.I.T.

Reflect and Respond:
How do you feel about reading God's Word every day?

Make a commitment to read one Psalm a day, allowing three days to complete Psalm 119.

Power Verses:
Psalm 119:15-16, "I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word." (NIV 1984)

Psalm 119:105, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (NIV 1984)

2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (NIV 1984)

© 2012 by Wendy Pope. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

December 12, 2012

A Sweet and Simple Christmas
Glynnis Whitwer


"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." - Luke 2:6-7 (NIV)

Growing up, Christmas celebrations were minimal in my home. My dad was a quiet biology teacher and my mother a hard-working homemaker. Which didn't translate into extravagant parties or gifts. And yet looking back, I don't think I missed a thing ... for it was the sweet and simple practices that meant the most to me.

For example, each year we bundled up in the car and drove around looking at Christmas lights. We rolled sugar cookie dough and cut it into bells and stars, covered with green and red frosting and sprinkled with colored sugar. It was the days of true tinsel, so decorating was a slow process, as my thrifty mother made us place it strand by strand on the tree (and remove it the same way) to keep it smooth for the next year.

Christmas Eve included attending the 11 p.m. service, holding little white candles with paper skirts, and singing Silent Night at midnight. And Christmas morning was quiet with stockings and simple gifts, like a felt doll made by an aunt.

The days leading up to Christmas weren't filled to the brim. Instead there were tender moments sprinkled throughout ... little touches to remind us that something special had happened 2000 years ago. Rather than a time to focus on more, Christmas was a time to be thankful for what we had.

How different today is — especially with the pull to celebrate Christmas bigger and better each year. Yet, reading Jesus' birth story in Luke, I realize God modeled a much quieter, more grateful way to celebrate Christmas. And I wonder if Jesus' real story, rather than what ads suggest, isn't the best way to honor His birth.

Luke's story of Jesus' birth tells of a humble people in a modest setting. No comfortable room was available so they made due in a place meant for animals. No one gave Mary a layette for her baby, so she wrapped Him in cloths. And there was no padded crib, instead a food trough was used for Jesus to sleep.

Yet the angels watched with awe, praising and giving thanks to God. And Mary treasured and pondered all that had happened.

And I wonder, as we face increasing pressure to commercialize Christmas, if that approach isn't the best way to celebrate Christ's birth. Perhaps rather than shock-and-awe, we need simple and sweet. Might humble and lowly, rather than extravagant, lead us to a place of wonder?

This Christmas, I'm taking a step back. I'm choosing to make less, more. I'm choosing more quiet, simple, humble, treasuring, pondering moments. Less hurry, more pausing. Less fuss and more focus on the true meaning of Christmas ... a baby born to be a King ... a servant who is Savior ... Emmanuel ... God with us. Amen.

Dear Lord, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Christmas, help me to pause and focus on what really matters. Help me to experience the joy of Christmas in my heart. Thank You for sending Your son. In His Precious Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Glynnis Whitwer's blog for tips on celebrating Christmas simply and sweet - and some Christmas giveaways!

For some simple and sweet reading, consider The Haven by Suzanne Woods Fisher. We also offer three other Amish books by Suzanne.

Unwrapping His Christmas Presence (DVD) or CD by Renee Swope

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!

Reflect and Respond:
What has God done for you this year that you can treasure in your heart and ponder?

Are there any big Christmas traditions you can let go this year, and replace them with something simple?

Power Verses:
John 1:14, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (NIV)

Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (NIV)

© 2012 by Glynnis Whitwer. All rights reserved.