Encouragement for Today

[Judy Harder]

 December 23, 2013

The Pull to be Everywhere During the Holidays
Suzie Eller


"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:4 (ESV)

I loved holidays. Before marriage. Before the pull to be everywhere at the same time. Before most decisions left someone upset or angry or feeling left out.

As a newlywed, I struggled with a desire to be in my own home on holidays, to start my own traditions with my husband. We were the first to be married in both families, and thus the first to break "how it's always been."

Thanksgiving should have been a time to be thankful. All I felt was stretched thin. Christmas was meant to be joyous, but I was often frustrated from wanting to please everyone.

As we had children, I tried to mask my frustration with enthusiasm. But inside I wrestled. If my husband and I chose to celebrate the holidays at our own home, someone was bound to be disappointed. When we went to every expected event, I would be exhausted from packing up three young kids, diaper bags, food, toys, presents, and the list went on.

Fast-forward thirty years, and thankfully I once again treasure the holidays. But now that my kids are grown up and married with babies of their own, I understand the longing my extended family felt to be together on the holidays. An empty nest leaves gaps that traditions used to fill.

Yet with three sets of in-laws, there are other families in the mix now. My husband and I know the pressure our kids might feel to come home for the holidays, and we don't want them to have the same frustrations we did.

A few years ago we chose to put Philippians 2:4 in to action: "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others" (ESV).

We told our children it's not the date on the calendar that makes holidays special. It's the heart behind them. It's spending time with people you love.

So, sometimes we get together on Thanksgiving Day, or maybe the week after. Maybe it's Christmas only, while Thanksgiving is spent with other family members or by themselves. We remain flexible to our kids' needs and schedules. If they and our grandchildren aren't with us on a specific day, my husband and I fill that time with a new tradition with just the two of us. Last year Richard and I hiked. We had so much fun! Later, when we gathered to celebrate Christmas with our growing family, it was a blessed, unrushed time.

There was an unexpected gift. What we discovered is that by looking out for their best interest—and not our personal desires—our kids love to come because there's no pressure. They let us in on their traditions. Regardless of the date, when we do get together we have fun! It's a gift we give our family and ourselves.

Dear Lord, I'm grateful for so many things, and one of those is family who loves me enough to want to be with me. Help me share my needs with my loved ones, and to do it with grace and gentleness. Help me not to take it personally as they struggle with change. If I am the one that is inflexible, help me to bend and grow. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

If you are struggling to forgive someone this Christmas, check out Suzanne Eller's book, The Unburdened Heart: Finding the Freedom of Forgiveness.

Visit Suzie's blog to discover four non-traditional ways to celebrate Christmas.

Shop with us for Christmas! Your purchase supports the many areas of life-changing ministry we provide at no cost. Although we'd love to offer more discounts, we simply can't compete with online warehouses. So, we're extremely grateful when you shop with us. Thank you!

Reflect and Respond:
Have you shared your needs? Articulate them on paper. Share them at the right time, in the right attitude. Don't take responses personally. Change takes time.

If you are the one struggling with change, are you willing to be flexible? Instead of focusing on a specific date, focus on the heart of the holiday.

Power Verses:
Psalm 106:1-2, "Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD, for his is good! His faithful love endures forever. Who can list the glorious miracles of the LORD? Who can ever praise him enough?" (NLT)

© 2013 by Suzie Eller. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

December 24, 2013

Calming Our Hearts
Tracie Miles


"They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness." Psalm 145:7 (NIV)

In the midst of the busyness of Christmas, I often pull away to calm my heart and quiet my thoughts with a cup of hot cocoa. I love to feel warm and peaceful while sipping a cup of steaming chocolate with marshmallows piled on top.

But there is another reason I love cocoa. Each letter of my favorite winter drink helps me focus my heart on Christ and to live out Psalm 145:7, "They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness." (NIV)

C – CHRIST "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit." Matthew 1:18 (NIV 1984)

It's easy to focus on shopping and planning Christmas Day menus instead of seeking Jesus. Take a break today from searching for that last-minute present or perfect recipe to spend time praising God for the gift of His Son.

O – ORNAMENTS "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." 1 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV 1984)

Decking the halls can be a lot of fun, but have we adorned our hearts with God's love and compassion, patience and kindness? When we do, our words and actions will glorify God and bless others.

C – CHEERFULLY CELEBRATE THE SEASON "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13 (NIV)

Although Christmas is meant to be a joyous season, it's also a time we might struggle with depression and discouragement. Focusing on God's truth that we are valued and loved as children of God can remove that shroud of darkness and replace it with great joy. This month will be over in a few days, but the peace and hope we find in God's love are forever.

O – OVERJOYED not OVERWHELMED "When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh." Matthew 2:10-11 (NIV)

Many of us are overjoyed to kick off the Christmas season but feel overwhelmed by the middle of the month, much less the day before Christmas. Reconnect with the wonder and awe of celebrating Christ as you bring a gift of gratitude to Jesus for coming as our Savior. When we focus our hearts on all God has done, we won't get as easily overwhelmed by all that we'd like to get done.

A – ABUNDANCE "... I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10b (NIV)

Whenever I think of Christmas morning, from my childhood to the present, the word abundance comes to mind. Abundance of gifts, food, and activities. But these things are temporary. What we need is the abundant life Jesus came to give us. Our hearts need His mercy, peace, and love—not only on Christmas day, but every day throughout each year.

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a cup of Christmas cocoa. Will you join me? Let's take time to ponder the verses above and make room for God's love to pour into our hearts. His abundant goodness is worthy to be celebrated!

Dear Lord, thank You for giving me the gift of Your Son. Please help me not get so caught up in the earthly celebrations of Christmas that I forget to celebrate all I have in Christ. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Tracie Miles' blog for a chance to win a special COCOA giveaway.

The NIV Real-Life Devotional Bible is a great way to spend time with the Lord.

Reflect and Respond:
Have you allowed the chaos of Christmas to overshadow your celebration of Christ?

How can you share God's goodness with others?

Power Verses:
Number 6:25-26, "The LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." (NIV)

© 2013 by Tracie Miles. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

December 25, 2013

A Light in the Dark
Samantha Evilsizer


"I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!" Luke 2:30-32 (NLT)

"Don't get out of the car by yourself. Just honk when you get here and I'll come out."

As I drove down the darkening street I questioned the wisdom of the 13-year-old who had just given me those instructions. Maybe one of the other youth group leaders should have come with me. Wouldn't honking alert the drug dealers in the neighborhood that Jake had warned me about?

Turns out I didn't get an answer to my question. Approaching his house, I squinted in the dim evening light. The silhouette of Jake throwing a football in the air was fading against the night sky.

Christmas carols escaped from my rolled down car window. Songs of the Christ child's birth and God's glory in the highest. Lyrics proclaiming that salvation had come—for me, for Jake, his neighbors, the world.

"Hey buddy. How are ya?" Such a lame question in light of all he'd seen. His father in a jail cell just a few months prior. His father overdosed in his bed last week. His father in a casket three days earlier.

Jake helped me carry the pizzas I'd brought over for his family. Couches brimmed with aunts and uncles; chairs overflowed with young cousins vying for a spot to sit. His mom, Norma, and several friends surrounded the kitchen table. Many had come long distances, weary travellers searching for peace.

These pizzas would ease their hunger, but not their hurt. They wouldn't be truly comforted until they found what they were looking for: a light in the darkness of their grief.

That dismal day as the television flickered in the living room ... as Norma declared she was moving out of that memory-laden house ... as Jake talked about playing football in a different school district ... I prayed, Lord please let them see You.

My heart understood some of their hurt. I've been the one to receive meals. I've made plans to escape the memories and grief. And I've set my sights on what I wished would rescue me from painful circumstances.

Maybe you've longed for that kind of help too? Eagerly looked for a light in the darkness? There was a man, Simeon, in Luke chapter 2 who had the great joy of pronouncing that help had come.

Let's look at Simeon's amazing proclamation: "At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,

'Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!'" (Luke 2:25-32 NLT)

Simeon knew that true help, true salvation, wouldn't come through anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ.

That day standing in Jake's living room, I knew the same thing. No matter how many meals were delivered, or whether or not they moved to a new school or neighborhood, without the hope of Christ, they'd always be looking for something else to be their hope, their light. The same is true for me, for you.

Simeon was a man of singular passion: to see the Christ Child with his own eyes and God's glory revealed. He knew that Jesus' birth meant salvation had come for those who would trust in Him and the work He would do when He died on the cross. His whole life would illuminate God's love to a desperate world. For those who believe that He is the Son of God and our risen Savior, we have the hope of eternal life spent with God and peace and joy here on earth.

On this day when we celebrate Jesus' coming to earth, let's really focus on Him. He is our hope in despairing situations. And a joyful light to brighten even the darkest circumstances.

Jesus, You alone are the hope the world needs. Thank You for coming from heaven to earth, from King to servant, from God to babe. Give me a singular passion to see You. Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Jesus?

Find peace through the pages of Encouragement for Today.

Click here to visit Samantha Evilsizer's Facebook page, More Than Enough, for daily biblical hope.

Reflect and Respond:
When your hope dips low, pray for help in re-focusing on the great gift of Jesus and who God is.

Power Verses:
Isaiah 9:6, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

© 2013 by Samantha Evilsizer. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

December 26, 2013

Afraid to Turn the Next Corner
Lysa TerKeurst


"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8 (ESV)

You know how some people love the thrill of being surprised? They love surprise parties. They would love to show up at work today and be told they are being whisked from their desk for a surprise vacation in just a few hours.

They would love to have one of those makeover shows show up at their house with a film crew and be told they're getting a whole new wardrobe.

Surprises feel thrilling to them. Like how some people feel when a roller coaster ride they thought was over suddenly takes off again and starts doing upside-down loops. They throw their hands in the air and embrace the thrill of the unknown.

They call that fun.

I don't.

This dislike of surprises can usually be managed with all the things I mentioned.

My friends know not to throw me a surprise party. No one is looking to give me a surprise vacation or new wardrobe. And before getting on a roller coaster, I thoroughly check it out and know its patterned route.

But life is different.

Life twists and turns and throws loops into those places we think will be flat and smooth. Because that's what life does. Sometimes it just catches us off guard.

And at the end of the day, I guess that's why I don't like to be surprised. I can't stand to get caught off guard. It makes me feel exposed and afraid.

But slowly, I'm learning it's not all bad to be surprised.

That vulnerable place reminds us we have needs beyond what we can manage. Feeling a little exposed and afraid reminds us we need God. Desperately. Completely.

And into that gap between what we can manage on our own and what we can't, that's right where faith has the opportunity to grow deep roots. Roots that dig down in to the hope and joy and peace only God can offer.

My faith doesn't just need to grow big, it needs to grow deep. Yes, I need deep faith roots, like the believer in Jeremiah 17:7-8, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." (ESV)

Deep roots keep us secure in God's love when fear comes.

Deep roots anchor us with the truth that God is in control when surprises blow like strong, unruly winds.

Deep roots hold us steady in the peace of God during the storm that didn't show up on the radar.

Deep roots find nourishment in God's grace when the surface gets awfully dry.

Deep roots allow for growth of faith in God not previously possible.

I'm learning to not be so afraid of what might be around the next corner. Even if it does catch me off guard. I close my eyes and whisper to the Lord ... deeper still.

Dear Lord, deep faith roots is what I desperately need. Help me to take steps each day in my journey of trusting You even if that means being in a vulnerable place sometimes. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Continue to grow in your relationship with the Lord through Lysa TerKeurst's book, What Happens When Women Say Yes to God. Click here to purchase your copy!

At Proverbs 31 Ministries, we are dedicated to helping women grow deeper in their faith each and every day. Will you join us in sharing God's Word through this daily devotion, online Bible studies, and an encouraging radio program with a year-end donation? Click here to find out more.

Reflect and Respond:
In what ways does knowing God will sustain you in hard times comfort you?

What step can you take today that will plant you firmly near the Lord. For example, memorizing a Bible verse, praying, etc.

Power Verse:
Psalm 9:10, "Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you." (NIV)

© 2013 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

 December 30, 2013

What's Mine to Do?
Renee Stearns


"I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13 (NIV)

As I stood on a barren hillside in an ancient land, I felt small. My husband Rich and I were staying overnight in a small village in the West Bank – an area occupied by the Israeli government but populated by Palestinian communities. We were there to see how World Vision was helping to fight poverty and bring peace to this hurting and isolated community.

That hillside had once been covered with olive groves, but Israeli forces replaced them with a security wall. Proponents claim the wall was necessary for protection, but it cut through the middle of communities, separating neighbors from their jobs, schools and each other. The ancient olive groves were just another casualty of generations of conflict.

The community had purchased replacement trees, but they stood in plastic buckets rather than in the ground, presumably so they could be moved if construction vehicles came back.

Earlier that day, I had hiked among the buckets with Rawah, a high school senior who was leaving soon to attend university. As we walked, she shared her dreams for the future, exuding the optimism every young student should have.

Other community members were skeptical. "What's the use?" one villager asked me. "Our children have no future. They go to university and then return home prepared to do jobs that don't exist. They become tour guides instead of world leaders."

Here, it seemed, children's futures were no safer than the olive trees.

The conflict between Israel and Palestine is complicated. Its roots go back millennia. Since modern Israel's birth, the relationship has often been violent. Unsurprisingly, the vulnerable have suffered the most.

And here I was, in the middle of it, meeting people whose lives were threatened by an ancient struggle that was bigger and more complicated than any of us.

When confronted with a situation that's too big for me to handle, or when frustrated by the sheer injustice of something happening right in front of me, I used to tell myself, "This is not mine to fix."

Sometimes that helped me remember I'm not always responsible for making everything right. However, sometimes it was an excuse to do nothing.

Do you ever feel that way? Are the problems confronting the world, your community or even your family just too big to get your mind and arms around?

Turn to God's Word and the reminder that Paul gives us in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all this through him who gives me strength." (NIV) God has given us the strength we need, to do whatever He has called us to do.

With God's wisdom and strength, I'm learning to ask: "What is mine to do?"

For me, the answer was to help give a face to the conflict. I know I can't bring peace to the Middle East, but I can help people better understand that the lives of real men and women, boys and girls – on both sides of the conflict – are at stake. That, I can do.

Don't give into the temptation to do nothing because you can't do everything. God doesn't call us to fix every problem, but He does call us to do something. Find out what that is and then, in His strength, do it with all your heart.

Dear Heavenly Father, our world is so broken. But You've empowered each of us to do something to help heal it in Your Name. We can't do everything but You've entrusted us with something. Help us to identify our assignment and to seek Your strength to carry it out. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
He Walks Among Us by Richard and Renee Stearns

God's Love for You by Richard and Renee Stearns

Reflect and Respond:
What are some problems you believe God is calling you to do something about?

What can you do to address these problems? What must you entrust to God or others?

Power Verses:
Matthew 9:36-38, "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'" (NIV)

Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (NIV)

© 2013 by Renee Stearns. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

 December 31, 2013

New Year's Traditions
Tracie Miles


"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 11:18-19 (NIV)

While driving my kids to school one morning, I asked what their favorite Miles' Family Christmas traditions were. My daughters answered in unison, "We don't have any traditions."

I was shocked and a little annoyed as I replied, "You mean all these years I have been trying to make memories for you, and you honestly think we don't have any special traditions?!" My holiday spirit diminished as my blood pressure rose.

They meekly asked me to remind them about these traditions. I provided them with an exhaustive list of family holiday activities and events that we've participated in every year since their births.

When I stopped to take a breath, one said, "Oh, I just thought those were things we do every year. I didn't know they were traditions."

I was relieved all my Christmas efforts had been noticed. And smiled realizing the problem was a simple lack of understanding the word "tradition."

The conversation wouldn't leave my thoughts, so when I got home, I read the definition of "tradition." The first definition was, "the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice." The second definition read, "a long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting and a continuing pattern of culture, beliefs or practices."

Through the misunderstanding with my children, God showed me annual activities and events aren't the only things we should pass down to our kids. Rather I should be concerned about spiritual traditions - the passing down of faith - as even more important.

I had been fretting over my children remembering that we drank hot chocolate while putting up our Christmas tree one month out of the year, when I should have been focusing on the spiritual traditions throughout the entire year.

With a bit more research, I realized God gave us guidance on how to do this in Deuteronomy 11:18-19. He was talking to the Israelites in this passage, but the wisdom applies today:

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." (NIV)

This verse changed my thinking about traditions. Now my New Year's resolution each year is to focus on the spiritual traditions I can pass down throughout the entire year in the Miles' home. Traditions that will matter long term and make a difference in the hearts of others.

Deuteronomy 11 guides me in making these resolutions. They include reading the Bible with my kids and applying it to everyday life. Also important are talking to them about God and praying with them, memorizing verses together, and understanding Scripture so that all we do reflects the love of Christ.

I don't want these spiritual traditions to be passed down simply by word of mouth, but by practice. As a parent, I have to live out these traditions in my own life to lead my kids to pick them up. The tradition of reading, living out, and loving God's Word is a tradition worth passing down.

Dear Lord, forgive me for losing sight at times of what is really important. Help me see ways I can build spiritual traditions in my home that will impact hearts and lives for generations to come. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Will you partner with us to reach moms for Christ and change the next generation? Today is the last day to give a donation in 2013. If you are willing to stand with us, click to make a year-end donation that will spread the Word of God into homes around the world.

For other great ways to start the New Year, visit Tracie Miles' blog.

Find inspiration to create meaningful traditions in the pages of Everyday Confetti. This go-to guide by Karen Ehman and Glynnis Whitwer provides creative ideas, menu plans, and suggestions for reaching out to others. Click here to pre-order your copy and receive instruction to get a Getting Organized in the New Year PDF with printable forms.

Reflect and Respond:
Consider what traditions you focus on in your home. Are they all attached to a holiday, or are there spiritual traditions that create a bond to Jesus year-round? Ask God to show you what new traditions you can begin in your family to help them learn God's Word.

If your children were asked what your spiritual traditions were, what would they say?

Power Verse:
Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." (ESV)

© 2013 by Tracie Miles. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

 January 1, 2014

My New Year's Offering
Wendy Blight


"Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering." Romans 12:1a (The Message)

Happy New Year!

During this first week of January, many of us will begin anew. New diets and exercise regiments. New Bible studies and reading plans. New organization and time management routines.

We'll commit to break bad habits, restore broken relationships, and be "better" people.

We call these New Year's resolutions. I confess. I've made more than my fair share of these in the last 25 years.

But most, like me, soon forget our good-intended resolutions. We mean well. But life gets busy. We return to our old habits. To that which is comfortable and doesn't require so much sacrifice.

I want something better. Something new.

What about you?

Will you join me in doing a new thing this year?

Let's begin the very best place we can ... God's Word. Romans 12:1-2 says,

"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering ... Fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it ... God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." (The Message)

Using this passage, let's write a New Year's Prayer. But not just any prayer. Reread Romans 12:1. There is a powerful little word tucked in that first sentence. Paul tells us to take our lives and place them before God as an offering.

Together, let's make a New Year's offering.

We can make all the resolutions we want, but we can't change ourselves. But when we willingly offer our lives to God, He will change us. The NIV translation of Romans 12:2 says,"...be transformed by the renewing of your mind." The renewing of our mind requires inward change and comes from God at work in us. It requires diligence on our part. It requires changing our thoughts, our priorities, and goals to be aligned with those of Christ.

It's baby steps. And it doesn't require changing everything all at once.

Let's begin today with our first step ... a simple prayer, offering our hearts to God.

How do we do this?

We're going to write a prayer together. I'll start. You finish.

Heavenly Father, I praise You this day as Elohim, God my Creator. You are the Author of my life. You are the Strength of my heart and my Portion forever. You are all I need. My heart's desire in this New Year is to grow closer to You. In knowing You better, I will know myself more because my identity is found in You.

I want to become a woman after Your own heart. God, I ask You to help me each day carve out time to spend with You. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, a heart to receive, and a mind to understand all that You will teach me. Make my heart tender to hear Your voice each time I meet with You.

Take Your Word and penetrate my heart. Create a hunger deep inside my soul for more and more of You. May nothing else satisfy me more than You.

Give me a heart of humility. If there is anything in me that keeps me from hearing You, reveal it to me. Convict me. Move me to confession. Cleanse my heart and renew a right spirit within me so I can be in perfect fellowship with You.

Fill my heart with Your truth. Plant it deep so that it takes root. Move me. Change me. Transform me. Empower me to live out what I hear and learn.

Every day of this New Year, make my life one long walk of obedience in response to Your Word and Your Holy Spirit Who lives and reigns in me. Let Your love and Your Word shape my life. This is my prayer offering. I ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now let's commit together to pray our prayer throughout the year ... asking God to change us from the inside out ... in baby steps.

Related Resources:
Wendy Blight would love to hear from you today ... share your prayer, your commitment, or your thoughts on New Year's Resolutions versus New Year's Offerings. Visit Wendy's blogand leave a comment for a chance to win a beautiful necklace in celebration of her new book.

Wendy has a new book being released in March, Living So That: Making Faith-filled Choices in the Midst of a Messy Life. Click here to preorder your copy.

Reflect and Respond:
Read through Romans 12:1-2. Take some time in the next few days to make this New Year's prayer offering your own. After you've written it, tuck it in your Bible or journal and commit to pray it each day.

Power Verses:
Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God." (NLT)

© 2014 by Wendy Blight. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

January 2, 2014

Triggers
Lysa TerKeurst


"So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." Ephesians 3:17-18 (NIV 1984)

I was elated one day when the number on my scale dipped below the plateau weight I'd been stuck at for two weeks. I did a little happy dance and thought, "Finally, I'm making some real progress in this journey. It's going to be such a great day. I'm super motivated. Bring on the raw veggies. Nothing's gonna stop me now!"

Too bad things didn't stay that way. Life can be unpredictable and includes many variables, kind of like math. I'm no math whiz, but I do remember there being these things called polynomials. Polynomials are algebraic expressions that include real numbers and variables.

That's the way my food issues are—they contain real numbers and variables. I suspect yours do as well. And while we must pay attention to the real numbers by eating less and moving more, we would do well to consider the variables in our lives as well.

Variables are those daily triggers we didn't account for but will detour even the best intentions. Triggers can be as large as the stab of loneliness from a broken relationship or the memory of a childhood trauma. Triggers can be as small as a discipline "chat" with a teen out past curfew or stumbling across fresh doughnuts in the office break room. They can prompt the thought, "Life will be better if I eat that."

Triggers have nothing to do with physical hunger or the need for legitimate nourishment. They are lies we've thought so routinely they've become well-worn paths to careless eating. Life is not made better because we overindulge in an unhealthy choice.

The best thing we can do in these triggered moments is to pause and ask ourselves, "Do I want to eat this right now because I need nourishment or because I'm feeling empty emotionally or spiritually?"

If I need nourishment, I can choose a healthy option. If I'm just feeling empty, I must realize food can fill my stomach but never my soul.

The only way to negate an emotional eating trigger is to match it with truth. The truth is this: "I'm not physically hungry right now, but I need to be filled in another way."

The Bible tells us that we can be rooted in love, not emptiness; that we have power to choose truth; and that as we comprehend the love of Christ, we will be filled to the measure of all the fullness—not of that brownie—but of God. Let's look at Ephesians 3:17-18 together: "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ" (Ephesians 3:17-18 NIV 1984).

Here's the great thing about truth: it contains no variables! Truth is stable, secure and a surefire way to get me through the unpredictable moments of life.

Take time to pause and use God's truths to challenge your triggers. And, when you're truly physically hungry, that pause will give you the moment you need to choose a healthy snack. Then you will be truly full.

Dear Lord, please help me to battle each of my triggers today with truth. Your truth. Moment by moment. I understand that food can fill my stomach but never my soul. Only You can fill my soul, and I am thankful for that. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Has food become more about frustration than fulfillment? Made To Crave by Lysa TerKeurst gives you the "want to" to make healthy choices.

Consider joining our newest Online Bible Study of Made to Crave. We're kicking off January 19th. It's flexible to fit any schedule and is focused on study, but we also have lots of fun! You will receive daily encouragement and prayer. Click here for more information.

Visit www.MadetoCrave.org for additional information, as well as fun, FREE and encouraging videos to help you overcome struggles and find lasting peace!

Reflect and Respond:
This week write down what triggers determine an unhealthy pattern with your eating habits.

Pause and use God's truths to challenge those triggers.

Power Verse:
Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (NIV)

© 2014 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

January 3, 2014

Unmixing Our Motives
Amy Carroll


"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5 (NIV 1984)

I'll never forget when mixed motives almost killed my true calling. Soon after accepting a leadership position in the women's ministry of my church, a friend on the team came up to me. "Oh! We forgot to tell you," she said with a grin. "You're in charge of the annual women's conference."

Despite the surprise, I loved every minute of organizing the event. But as I interacted with our guest speaker, envy began to wind itself around my heart. If it could have spoken aloud, it would have said, "I want THAT!"

I wanted her platform.

I wanted her eloquence.

I wanted her audience.

I wanted her cute outfit.

Fortunately, I recognized these "wants" as signs of covetousness rather than signs of my calling. I knew God had called me to be the women's ministry director during that season—not to speak. And each time I desired what that speaker had, it took my focus off what God had for me.

So I asked God to kill the weed of envy that was choking the life from my calling to lead women. I asked Him to purify my motives and steer my heart to the women He had called me to serve.

It's so easy for wrong motives to creep in to our hearts. You might not want to be a speaker, but maybe you're the mom who dresses her children to impress others. Or maybe you're the employee who takes charge of the room to show your boss your readiness for the next step up.

There's nothing wrong with cute children or promotions, but so many times our motives trip us up. Instead of being pure, our motives get mixed with other things that sully the outcome—emotionalism, pride, and strong personal preferences are just a few.

Several years after my prayer to remove my "speaker envy," God started whispering to me about speaking as I prayed and read the Word. My first reaction was to think, "There's that old, nasty envy again. God, purify my heart!"

But this time was different. As I unpacked my motives, I realized God had really changed my heart. He'd refined my motives to just one, and that was to obey Him.

Philippians 2:5 states our ideal position: "Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus" (NIV 1984). Our one motive should be to follow Him and become more like Him. That's the motive that should supersede and reign over any others. How do we practically live that out?

I think the clue is in the following verses. "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness" (Philippians 2:6-7, NIV 1984).

Our focus has to be on becoming nothing. Nothing is not our status or worth. We are always holy and dearly loved children of the King.

Nothing is to be our chosen position as a servant.

How does this look in everyday life? Jesus is our perfect example. He is everything: the Lord of lords and the King of kings. He is so incredibly powerful and important that Colossians 1:16 says "all things were created by him and for him" (NIV 1984). Despite His exalted position, Jesus showed the purity of His motives toward us by giving up all He had.

As I've thought about how to imitate Jesus in my motives, I ask myself two questions when making choices:

• Does this put me or others first?
• Is this a choice to be more or to be nothing?

These two questions expose any twisted motives and bring me back to my chosen position of nothing. Day by day, my motives are refined. It's a painful process sometimes, but it's a good process that ultimately produces pure motives with divine outcomes.

Lord God, You are the only One with uncontaminated motives. I confess mine are often mixed with pride, emotion, or personal opinion. Please purify my heart. Forgive me, un-mix my motives, and help me move forward with a pure heart. Amen.

Related Resources:
For more thoughts on cultivating a pure heart, visit Amy Carroll's blog.

Setting our hearts and minds on Christ helps purify our motives from unforgiveness. Join the Proverbs 31 Ministries team of writers in doing this through Encouragement for Today: Devotions for Everyday Living.

Reflect and Respond:
What decisions are you making today? Are they cluttered by impure motives like unforgiveness, fear, pride, or overwhelming emotions?

Pray and ask God to show you any impure motives that might affect your decision-making, and then ask Him to remove the ones He shows you.

Power Verses:
Psalm 51:10, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me." (ASV)

Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (NIV)

© 2014 by Amy Carroll. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

January 6, 2014

Get a Grip
Leah DiPascal


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

We had only been married a couple years when my husband Keith surprised me with a snow skiing trip to the mountains. Although I had never stepped foot in snow, the idea sounded exciting and adventurous.

I spent weeks preparing - purchasing warm, waterproof clothes, reading "how-to" articles, and daydreaming about us zipping down the slopes effortlessly. It was going to be wonderful. At least that's what I thought.

As it turned out, my winter wonderland daydreams didn't quite match up to my wonder-less reality.

Instead of swishing down the mountain together, I struggled in ski school with other beginners while Keith skied alone.

I spent more time slipping and falling then standing upright. My bruises had bruises, and children were mastering the slopes better than me.

After my first day of defeat, I opted out of ski school, determined to overcome my fears and do things my way. Anxiety mounted as I reached the top of the mountain and my skis slid onto the icy snow.

Down to the ground I went–over and over again. Poles, skis, and goggles spewed all over the place. I was frustrated, miserable, and ready to give up.

As worried tears ran down my face, Keith assured me we would make it down the mountain safely. He stayed close by my side. When I'd start to slip and fall, he was right there to hold me up.

Slowly and steadily my confidence grew and when we reached the bottom of the mountain, my heart overflowed with joy.

"Are you ready to go again?" Keith asked. While I wasn't immediately ready to head back up the mountain, my husband's loving faithfulness gave me the courage I needed that day. I knew he wouldn't leave me alone, that he would be there if I fell, and it made all the difference.

It's been years since that trip, but oftentimes I find myself slipping and sliding along the tough slopes of life. Challenging circumstances can leave me frustrated, miserable, and ready to give up—just like that day on the mountain.

Maybe you can relate. Are you facing a situation that seems bigger than a mountain? Do "what if" worries make you feel overwhelmed and ready to give up? Has life dealt you a powerful blow causing you to emotionally lose your footing from what was once a solid stance?

I'm so thankful we have God's promises in Psalm 94:18-19 to securely hold us up when we're unsteady: "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).

When life's circumstances cause us to feel unsteady we can call out to God for help. His love for us is unfailing and He is always there to support us when our feet begin to slip. Challenges and difficult trials can make us feel uncertain but God is faithful to hold us up as we trust in Him.

Safe within His loving grip we can have the confidence to keep going down the mountain of life. As we pause along the way, let's take time to look back and celebrate how far God has brought us. One faithful moment at a time.

Dear Lord, thank You for holding me up with Your unfailing love when my feet slip on the slopes of life. Help me trust You will be there to catch me. May Your assuring words comfort my soul when I worry and feel unsteady. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Jesus?

Click here to join Leah DiPascal on her blog and learn more about God's promises that will hold you up in the midst of life's tough circumstances. You'll also have an opportunity to win a signed copy of A Confident Heart Devotional by Renee Swope.

A Confident Heart Devotional by Renee Swope.

Reflect and Respond:
Write down what is causing you to feel unsteady. Then write down one of the scripture verses listed below and turn it into a personal prayer to God.

Take small steps each day to trust God more as you remember His promises of holding you tightly no matter what comes your way.

Power Verses:
Psalm 121:3, "He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber." (NIV)

Psalm 37:23-24, "The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand. (NIV)

© 2014 by Leah DiPascal. All rights reserved.