Encouragement for Today

[Judy Harder]

January 7, 2014

The God Moment that Changes Everything
Kyle Idleman


"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!'" Luke 15:17 (NIV)

Not long ago, one of my daughters set my phone alarm tone to match that of her favorite animal. It's labeled "Horses Neighing." It should be called "Death by Stampede." At 5:30 in the morning my alarm went off and I shot straight up, wide-awake, a stampede charging through my bedroom.

While changing it back to my standard alarm, I noticed a wide array of other options. Some of the sounds wouldn't do anything to get me up, like the one labeled "Harp." It trills a soft melody, and just listening to it makes me sleepy.

The most effective alarm ringtone for me is labeled "Old Car Horn." Think in terms of a house alarm that you can hear on the other side of the neighborhood. Now imagine that you are sleeping inside the speaker. It's highly effective. And the great thing is this alarm has a unique backup system that's almost fail proof – my wife.

But here's what I've discovered: the effectiveness of any alarm is in direct correlation to how much you don't want to hear it. In other words, until your desire not to hear the alarm outweighs your desire to keep sleeping—you're not going to wake up.

Similarly, a sudden awakening takes place when God finally gets our attention. The alarm sounds, and this time we hear it. We immediately become aware of our present circumstances and the reality that something must change.

The Prodigal Son experienced this in Luke 15. After taking his inheritance money from his father, wasting it and reduced to feeding pigs, the Bible tells us the son, "came to his senses ..."

At this point the son sat straight up and suddenly realized what his life had become. When he ran away, he'd never thought his journey would have that ending. But now life had his attention, and he knew things had to change.

Have you ever had a moment like this? The Holy Spirit opens your eyes, and you see something that you had somehow missed before. You have a startling realization that changes everything.

You realize you've been trying to live out the Christian life from your own power and strength rather than out of the power of the Holy Spirit.

You realize you weren't actually following Jesus; you were just following a list of rules and rituals.

You realize you spent so much of your life wrestling with guilt and shame, because you thought being good enough would save you.

And then suddenly you realize a truth. That truth has always been true, but for some reason, you just didn't see it before. Like the Prodigal Son, it was the right time and the right place, and finally realization woke you up and brought you to your senses. AHA!

This is an "AHA" moment, and within the parable of the Prodigal Son, I discovered there are three ingredients that are present in every AHA experience.

1. A Sudden Awakening
2. Brutal Honesty
3. Immediate Action

If there is an awakening and honesty, but no action, then AHA doesn't happen. If there is awakening and action, but honesty is overlooked, AHA will be short-lived.

But when God's Word and the Holy Spirit bring these three things together in your life, you will experience AHA—a God-given moment that changes everything.

Today if you are finally hearing the alarm and realizing you are far from your Heavenly Father, know you can turn to Him. Luke 15 shows us that God is a loving Father who is merciful, gracious, and caring. No matter how far we wander from God, He wants to do more than just help us—He wants to save us. And it starts with AHA.

Dear Lord, help me to see the areas of my life that need transformation. Please give me a genuine Awakening, help me to be Honest with myself, and be with me as I take Action. Jesus, I surrender my life to you, and I thank You for the work You're doing in my life! In Jesus' Holy Name I pray. Amen.

Related Resources:
Kyle Idleman's new book AHA releases in March 2014. To celebrate, his publisher is giving away five advanced reader copies today. To enter, simply leave a comment on today's devotion and we'll select five winners at random. We will email the winners directly.

AHA: The God Moment That Changes Everything by Kyle Idleman

Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus Christ by Kyle Idleman

Reflect and Respond:
Search your heart. Consider the areas of your life that need transformation. Identify one area that needs to change.

Create action steps that will help you change the situation. Pray for God's strength. Then take action!

Power Verse:
John 6:35: "Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'" (NIV)

© 2014 by Kyle Idleman. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks David C. Cook for their sponsorship of today's devotion.

[Judy Harder]

 January 8, 2014

When the Dog Eats Your Company's Dinner
Sharon Glasgow


"If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:11b (NIV)

I prayed weeks for this dinner. The couple we invited needed Jesus. I wanted to roll out the red carpet and treat them like royalty; God knew they needed a big dose of His love.

But time got away from me—cleaning the house, making the dessert and all. I still had to run to the store to get the filet mignons. I know they're expensive, but I wasn't going to spare any cost for my guests—it would be a feast!

I sat the grocery bags inside the front door and headed back out to light the fire in the grill. Our company would be there in less than half an hour! I ran back inside and reached for the steaks, only to pull out an empty package. Puzzled, I pulled out the other packages, all empty. What in the world??

About that time my dog walked around the corner with his head cowered. He wouldn't look at me but took off to hide behind the couch. I followed him and didn't find a trace of a steak—just one shamefaced dog. He had done this kind of thing before, eaten entire pizzas, cakes, and whole plates of fried chicken without a crumb left. Yep, "guilty" was written all over his face.

As I stood there shaking my head, I heard knocking at my front door. Our guests were early! Thankfully I remembered a chicken and dumpling casserole in the freezer. I turned the oven on and popped it in, then excused myself to the restroom, closed the door and prayed, remembering the words of 1 Peter 4:11b, "If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen" (NIV).

"Jesus, help me. Help me get over my own expectations of what tonight would look like. I've asked You for weeks to lavish this couple with Your love. You don't need steaks to do that. Come and fill this place with Your presence. Give me Your ability to love and serve. Help me love like You do. Give me words to speak and Your strength to do it. I give this night to You. May it glorify You. Thank You Jesus."

As I walked back to join my visitors, I realized once again hospitality isn't about the perfect meal, beautiful decorations, a clean house, or our hostess skills—it's about loving people the way Jesus loves them—wholeheartedly. When people feel loved, they don't care what you feed them or what your house looks like.

That night turned out to be absolutely wonderful. Not because the chicken and dumplings tasted good. Or because my living room was tidy. But because God's love is powerful.

When we take our eyes off of ourselves and focus on loving our guests, it takes the stress out of entertaining. Even when we feel inadequate, Jesus gives us His ability to love others when we ask Him. It's not about our efforts; it's about Him.

Dear Lord, help me to invite others to my house. Keep my heart focused on loving people and not on my home or my cooking skills. Use me for Your glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources
Visit Sharon Glasgow's blog for more on hospitality and her chicken and dumpling casserole recipe.

Pre-order your copy of Everyday Confetti that releases January 21! In this go-to guide, Karen Ehman and Glynnis Whitwer provide creative ideas and menu plans for holidays, birthdays, special events, and everyday occasions, as well as suggestions for reaching out to others. Pre-order your copy through Proverbs 31 Ministries and get an extra bonus of a "Getting Organized in the New Year" PDF.

Reflect and Respond:
What hinders you from inviting guests to your home?

How can you show love to someone this week through your home or homemaking talents?

Power Verse:
2 Corinthians 12:9a, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness...'" (NIV)

© 2014 by Sharon Glasgow. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

January 9, 2014

A Call to Action
Lysa TerKeurst


"Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food." Romans 14:20a (NIV)

Five years ago I was stuck in a rut of wishful thinking and excuses with my weight. At the beginning of each day I would say I wanted things to be different. I would even make a plan to stop the snacks, increase the veggies, and say "no" to desserts.

But then life would happen, and excuses were plentiful. My resolve would melt away like butter on a hot yeast roll.

The next morning I would get up and weigh myself hoping that somehow, something would have happened over night. Despite my indulgences from the day before, maybe the numbers would have gone down.

But the scale was not impressed with my wishful thinking. It could only tell the truth.

Do you know who I'd get mad at?

God.

I'd beg Him to help me one minute while scarfing down an order of fries the next. And then I'd be doubly mad He didn't steer my car away from that drive-thru.

I deemed myself a victim of tragic genetics, overactive taste buds, and a stomach that demanded large portions.

What I failed to realize is there was a much more significant issue going on.

More important than the ever-increasing size of my jeans was the deception going on inside my heart. My weight wasn't God's curse on me. My weight was an outside indication of an internal situation.

Honestly, I might as well have taken Psalm 23 which talks about the Lord being my shepherd and my comfort and replaced His Name with various foods. I was relying on food to be my comfort, my ever-present help, my guide. Food was the thing that got me through the valleys. It became the friend I wanted to celebrate with in the good times.

I don't write to point out anyone else's issue. There are certainly medical and genetic circumstances that can cause weight gain. But I discovered that my issue was spiritual. And no diet would be permanently successful until I got to the root of my problem—craving food more than God.

I desired and depended on the instant high of physical gratification because I hadn't learned how to let God satisfy my deepest needs. This realization became a call to action.

Maybe something is stirring in your soul. I know this is a tough issue. I've walked through the tears and the feelings of failure. But I wanted freedom. And I realized that if I wanted to have my deepest desires met by God and not food, I would need to restore God to His rightful place by changing my old thought patterns. Here are some examples:

Old thought patterns: "I need these chips. I deserve this ice cream. I must have that extra large portion."

New thought patterns: Chips will only taste good for the moment. But the calories are empty and will do nothing good for my body. 2 Corinthians 7:1 reminds me, "...Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit ... out of reverence for God." (NIV 1984)

This ice cream will give me a sugar high but then I'll crash and feel terrible. Psalm 34:8 reminds me to get into God's Word and let it satisfy the hungry places of my soul: "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him." (NIV 1984)

This extra large portion will overstuff me and make me feel sluggish. I can't look to this food to soothe me. Psalm 34:5 says, "Those who look to [God] are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame." (NIV 1984)

Learning to do this has been a process that I have to intentionally choose day after day. Eventually, I lost the extra weight. But the real reward was what I gained with Jesus in the process. He became the best part of my journey. And I wouldn't have missed this new found closeness with Him for anything.

Dear Lord, if this devotion is a call to action that I need to make, please help me. I want to see the root of my issue. I want to learn to crave only You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
If this devotion resonated with you, pick up a copy of Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst.

Join a community of women who are doing a Made to Crave Online Bible Study starting January 19th! Together, we will break the cycle of "I'll start again on Monday," stop agonizing over numbers on the scale, make peace with our bodies, replace rationalization that leads to diet failure with wisdom that leads to victory, reach our healthy goals and grow closer to God through the process. For more information, click here.

Reflect and Respond:
Keep a pocket-sized notebook nearby all week. Every time you crave food, ask yourself if you are hungry or if you are craving something else like comfort or peace.

Power Verse:
Psalm 18:1, "I love you, O LORD, my strength." (NIV 1984)

© 2014 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

January 10, 2014

Who Sits on the Throne of Your Heart?
Wendy Blight


"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, ..." 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NASB)

Monty and I began our marriage in a difficult place. Eleven months before we walked down the aisle, I was the victim of a horrific crime. This experience damaged me deeply. Few knew the fear and despair that had made their home in my heart.

Intimacy was hard. It brought back too many terrible memories. I tried to be a "good" wife and make my husband happy. But I just couldn't.

Yet, I needed Monty. Fear consumed me. He was my only safe place. Being home alone terrified me. So when he left to play basketball or go to dinner with friends, I pouted, cried, and complained that he wasn't putting me first.

This caused a huge rift in our marriage. Days were hard and nights were long. Soon I began to imagine Monty looking elsewhere for the companionship he lacked with me. Jealousy grew within me and I demanded to know when and where he was at all times. When I couldn't get a hold of him, I panicked. My mind went places and imagined things it shouldn't.

Jealousy infiltrated my heart.

I knew these feelings were wrong. Even destructive. But I didn't know how to overcome them. As jealous thoughts took root, they became a mental obsession that fed me lies.

My marriage and my husband were slipping away. Completely at a loss for what to do, I dropped to my knees and begged God to help me.

Thankfully, God made a way to release jealousy's grip on me—and it was through loving Him. As I came to know God more intimately, the jealousy began to subside.

God opened my eyes to see Christ in a new way ... as my Savior and my "first love." Until that time, love and security were found in Monty. My need for him was so desperate that I expected him to be my savior, defender, and protector from the evil in the world. I needed my husband more than anything else and felt safe only by his side.

This created a very unhealthy relationship. We should never "need" our husbands, our children, or anyone more than Christ. Ironically, I was so afraid of losing Monty that I treated him in a way that could potentially have driven him away. No one on this earth can ever be our savior. We have only one Savior, and His name is Jesus.

Healing came as I grew to know my "First Love" as my defender, refuge, and strong tower. This understanding put my marriage in perspective. As God took His rightful place on the throne of my heart, Monty took his rightful place too. Our marriage changed dramatically.

Of course, I never want to lose Monty, but I have come to know that I could and would be able to live without him because God now sits in His rightful place on the throne of my heart. He is my first love. My husband and children are precious gifts that He has generously given me.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your great love and faithfulness. Open my eyes to see anything or anyone besides You who holds first place in my heart. Help me through the power of Your Holy Spirit to replace it with You and You alone. I ask this in the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Related Resources:
Do you know Jesus?

Visit Wendy Blight's blog for a chance to win a beautiful necklace in celebration of her new book being released in March, Living So That: Making Faith-filled Choices in the Midst of a Messy Life.

To read more of Wendy's story of healing, as told in her book Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner, click here.

Reflect and Respond:
Who or what sits higher on the throne of your heart than God?

Write a prayer surrendering this place to Him.

Power Verse:
Mark 12:30, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (NIV)

© 2014 by Wendy Blight. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

January 13, 2014

The Three-Word Prayer God Loves
Stormie Omartian


"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10 (NKJV)

When my husband, Michael, and I were first married and differences arose between us, praying was definitely not my first thought. In fact, it was closer to a last resort. I tried other methods first, such as arguing, pleading, ignoring, avoiding, confronting, debating, and—of course—the ever-popular silent treatment. And the results? Not surprisingly, they were less than satisfying!

When I did pray, often resentment, anger, unforgiveness, or an ungodly attitude clouded my communication with God. While I may have had a good reason for these emotions, my prayers were not coming from a right heart. What's more, I was praying that my husband would conform to my ideal image of him. My prayer was for God to change him into the person I wanted him to be.

However, as I went to God in prayer every day, something unusual started to change—me. I was the one God decided to work on first, not my husband. Gently, the Lord began to soften my heart. Humble it. Mold it. And reconstruct it. As He did so, He erased the bitterness and resentment that were affecting my attitude and damaging my marriage.

And this is how I came to discover a three-word prayer God loves: Change me, Lord.

Gradually I came to realize that it was impossible to truly give myself in prayer for Michael without first examining my own heart.

And it wasn't just my relationship with my husband that required me to pray this powerful three-word prayer. My relationship with my son and daughter required it. My relationships with my friends required it. Most of all, my relationship with God required it.

Change me, Lord.

I went into my prayer time with the goal of asking God to change others—making them less critical and more obedient. Less fearful. More loving.

I came out of my prayer time with my own heart changed. My mind changed. My attitude changed. My life changed.

Now, if you're like I was, this might make you mad at first. "Wait a minute!" you might object. "I'm not the one who needs changing here!"

But God sees the things we can't see. He knows where we have room for improvement. He doesn't have to search long to uncover attitudes and habits that are outside His perfect will for us.

Sometimes God uncovers sin in our hearts. This is important to identify because it separates us from Him and hinders our prayers being heard as Psalm 66:18 tells us, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (NKJV). God wants our hearts to be right so the answers to our prayers are not compromised.

Early in my marriage, I knew it was important to pray for my husband. And a favorite trio of three-word prayers was often on my lips: Protect him, Lord. Save our marriage. Change him, Lord. I was convinced that this was the right way to pray, that God and I had the same goal in mind—a changed husband who was able to better meet my needs. But God's way is not always our way. God didn't choose to make those first changes in my husband. He chose to make them in me.

One of the greatest gifts I could give to Michael was the gift of my own wholeness. One of the most effective tools in seeing transformation in his life was my own transformation.

You have to trust that God is big enough to accomplish all this and more.

I learned to pray a new prayer: Whatever you want, Lord. Show me and I'll do it. Change me, Lord.

Lord, create in me a clean heart and a right spirit before You. Give me a new, positive, joyful, loving, and forgiving attitude toward others. Where there is anything that needs to change in me, I pray You would enable that change to happen. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
The Power of a Praying Woman by Stormie Omartian

Visit Stormie's website to learn more about the power of prayer and the great things that can happen when we pray.

Reflect and Respond:
Are you praying for God to change others but ignoring the possible change needed in you? What might God need to work on in your own life—selfishness, impatience, resentment—before your relationships with others can begin to change?

When you begin to get frustrated with others, take a look at your own heart and pray Change me, Lord.

Power Verses:
1 Corinthians 10:24, "Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being." (NKJV)

Psalm 139:23 "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties..." (NKJV)

© 2014 by Stormie Omartian. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

 January 14, 2014

Vulnerable Strength
Suzie Eller


"If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them!" Luke 6:32 (NLT)

Do you meet aggression with aggression and call it strength? Sometimes I do and it leads me to a place I never intended.

Not long ago a friend told me someone had revealed her secret, and she wondered if I knew who it was. Though I told her no, she asked again. And yet again. Finally I realized she suspected I was the leak.

My first reaction was surprise, then frustration.

If you really knew me, you'd know I don't tell secrets.

I didn't do anything wrong.

I answered your question. Why are you still asking?

There were many things I could have done in that instant, but somehow proving I was right was more important. Though I didn't raise my voice, it was clear in my stance and terse response that I was angry.

Moments later, the Holy Spirit began to show me the bigger picture. My friend's questions were borne out of frustration and fear as the spilled secret could have created damage. Sadly, rather than have a conversation, I took a stand.

Often, our default in these types of situations is to defend ourselves by meeting aggression with aggression. To throw a punch when we feel punched, whether that is verbal or passive aggressive.

But is this really strength?

In Luke 6, Jesus is teaching the disciples a hard truth. Life is not always fair. You might be accused unjustly. You might take a punch that hurts. Someone may move from friend to frenemy and it won't feel good.

It's easy to respond in love in comfortable situations and with people who are kind. But what about the harder places? Jesus is showing the disciples that rather than aggression, there's a vulnerable strength that can heal conflict and lead to resolution.

Vulnerable strength isn't a verbal assault. You speak the truth in love, but you let it settle rather than hammer it in.

Vulnerable strength isn't an emotional outburst, rather it's working through misunderstanding.

Vulnerable strength isn't one-sided, but it's stepping into another person's shoes for a moment to expand your understanding of the conflict.

But this is the hard part. You might still get punched verbally, and you might still be at odds. Vulnerable strength doesn't guarantee a happy ending.

When aggression is met with aggression, there are bound to be casualties. Vulnerable strength reduces the potential for casualties and paves a path for resolution. And if not, then as Luke 6:35 says, "you will truly be acting as children of the Most High ..." (NLT).

Wouldn't it be unfortunate if we made it to the end of our lives and only loved those who loved us? What might we miss in those harder places of our faith?

As I changed my approach to vulnerable strength rather than aggression, my friend and I worked through that painful conversation. Thanks to the Holy Spirit's prompting, I have an opportunity to move the focus from what I think someone does wrong, to what I can do better.

Dear Lord, I have been focusing on what others said or did, instead of asking for Your insight. I have called aggression strength, whether it's been passive, or lashing out, or shutting out. Today, may I love others who seem unlovable with vulnerable strength. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

Visit Suzie Eller's blog for a free printable that will help you respond with vulnerable strength rather than aggression in the heat of conflict.

Suzie's book, The Unburdened Heart: Finding the Freedom of Forgiveness will help you discover how to forgive when you just can't do it on your own.

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:
Find a quiet place. Write down a recent offense and how it makes you feel. Then ask God to help you answer these questions:

1. What were they trying to say? (Step into their shoes for a moment.)
2. How did I respond? (Shift the focus from their wrongdoing to your potential to grow.)
3. In what ways might I have responded differently? (How might this have impacted the direction of the conversation?)

Power Verses:
Matthew 5:46, "If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much." (NLT)

1 Peter 1:2b "May God give you more and more grace and peace." (NLT)

© 2014 by Suzie Eller. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

January 15, 2014

Grace in the Middle
Alicia Bruxvoort


"Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)

She is slumped on the couch all grumpy and mad, her lips pursed in a dramatic pout. "Why didn't you name ME Elizabeth Grace?" my little girl asks as she punctuates her big sister's name with a hiss of frustration.

I set down the laundry basket I'm lugging through the living room and turn my head toward my four-year-old.

Her blue eyes churn indignant like a thundercloud on a hot summer's day, and this girl of mine who is never satisfied with the name I chose crosses her arms in front of her chest with a big harrumph.

Trying not to laugh at the theatrics, I move to the couch where my daughter sits sulking. I push back the bangs hanging haphazard across her forehead and slump lower on the cushions so we can perch head to head.

"I didn't name you Elizabeth Grace," I murmur in her ear, "because when you were tucked in my tummy, God gave me the name Magdalene Hope."

I let my words dangle in the air, the sound of Maggie's sniffled breathing ticking off the silent seconds. I hold my little one's hand and say, "And once God whispered that name to my heart, I knew that's exactly who you were going to be. Our one and only Maggie Hope."

My dramatic girl raises an eyebrow and sighs, her vexation melting into sadness.

"But I just want Grace in my middle, Mom. Right between Maggie Moo and Bwuxfort..."

She adds her nickname to the mix and slaughters our fine Dutch surname, but her gaze is so earnest that now I'm not even tempted to giggle.

Instead, I pull my fifth-born onto my lap and rock her ever so slightly. And as I rest my chin on her tangle-haired-head, I understand her wish.

Grace in the middle. Who doesn't need that?

No matter where life on this earth begins or how it ends, we all need a little grace in the middle. We were made with purpose and our Savior promises joy in the end. But making it through the middle? That's a different story.

The middle is where hours creep long and the view wanes dim. It's where the starting block feels like a distant memory and the finish line looms like an impossible dream.

The middle can douse our dreams, derail our zeal, and diminish our faith. It can make us desperate. For mercy. For hope. For grace.

• When the baby's teething and the toddler's tantrum-ing.

• When the dishes pile high and the laundry's run wild.

• When our souls are empty and our calendars are filled, when our dinner tables are noisy and our accolades are quiet.

• When the bread's burning and our patience has gone up in smoke, when our best isn't good enough and our worst is magnified.

Right in the middle of that darkness, right in the middle of that mess, we need grace.

Grace to take one more step, to utter one more prayer, to risk rejection one more time. Grace to trust in His promises and to cling to His hand.

We linger long there on the couch, me and my girl who wants a new name.

We just rock and cuddle and listen to the patter of rain on the window, the hum of the washing machine a floor below.

And instead of offering my mopey Maggie a lecture on the grandeur of her given name, I simply hold her. Hold her with compassion, right in that middle place of wishing for something different and trying to accept what really is.

And this mom, living somewhere between my beginning and my end, reminds her little girl of one simple truth (Because sometimes we just need to say it aloud for our own road-weary souls):

There is only one name worthy of our wishing, one name deserving of our dreams. And when we keep that name in the middle of our madness, He offers hope in our beginning, gloryin our end, and grace for every moment in-between.

Jesus.

Heavenly Father, thank You for being here with me in the middle. May Your grace sustain me in the long days, giving me perspective, courage and hope. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Am I Messing Up My Kids by Lysa TerKeurst

Grace for the Good Girl by Emily Freeman

Reflect and Respond:
What circumstance are you facing today where you need God to step in with His gracious help?

Is there someone you know who needs your help? Consider how you can be God's hands and feet to someone this week.

Power Verses:
Numbers 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)

© 2014 by Alicia Bruxvoort. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

January 16, 2014

Isn't This Just a Small Thing?
Lysa TerKeurst


"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food." Romans 14:19-20a (NIV)

I always considered my food struggle as a small thing in light of the bigger challenges of life.

I can remember saying, "God, you can mess with my pride, you can mess with my anger, you can mess with my money, you can mess with my selfishness, you can mess with my frustration with my children, you can mess with the times I disrespect my husband ... you can mess with all that, but don't mess with my overeating." However, small things can easily become big things. Consider this example.

On January 15, 2009, Flight 1549 took off from New York's LaGuardia Airport with 155 occupants on board. The takeoff went fine, but three minutes later, at only three thousand feet, the plane encountered a flock of geese. Both engines shut down. Captain "Sully" Sullenberger had to make an immediate decision with life or death consequences. He made a miraculously successful emergency landing on the Hudson River.

Those geese were small, but they brought down an entire plane. Small things can easily become big things. We would do well to remember this principle.

Let's begin to acknowledge the "big" emotions that often accompany our "little" food struggles. I realized that I constantly bounced between feeling deprived and guilty; deprived, then guilty. My disgust and frustration with myself stripped me of the peace and joy that I wanted to be the hallmark of my life.

Having peace is a big deal. Scripture tells us to let the peace of God rule in our hearts (Colossians 3:15). Isn't peace what we want in every area of our lives — even our health? Is your heart dominated by feelings of inadequacy, self-loathing, or defeat about your food struggles? Those are big emotions.

Whenever we feel defeated by an issue, it can prevent us from following God completely. That's why my weight loss goal isn't a number on the scale. My real weight loss goal is peace. I knew I would be successful one day when I stood on the scale and I felt peace, no matter what the number said.

As we move through our healthy eating journey, the goal shouldn't just be a smaller waistline measurement, but a larger measure of peace. The apostle Paul puts it this way: "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food" (Romans 14:19-20a). In other words, don't let a small thing become a big thing.

I often ask myself this pivotal question before making a food choice: Will this choice add to my peace or steal from it? Remember, nothing tastes as good as peace feels.

Dear Lord, Your peace is what I plead for today. I don't want my focus to be on food, a number on the scale, insecurity, or inadequacy. I want my focus to be on You. That is where I will find true peace. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Resources:
Did this devotion resonate with you? If so, check out Lysa TerKeurst's New York Times best selling book Made to Crave. You'll gain practical and biblical insight on satisfying your deepest desire with God, not food. Click here to purchase your copy!

Learn how to stop agonizing over the numbers on the scale and make peace with your body in an encouraging community of women who share your struggle. Proverbs 31 Ministries will begin its next online Bible study of Made to Crave on January 19th. We'd love to have you with us! Click here to find out more information and to sign up.

Reflect and Respond:
What "big" emotions are accompanying your "little" struggle?

Whether it's a struggle with food or something else, write down the emotions you feel when you think about it.

Then, write down action steps you can take to move away from those feelings and toward peace. Start with talking to the Lord and offering up this struggle to Him.

Power Verse:
Colossians 3:15, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." (NIV)

© 2014 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

January 17, 2014

Not What I Expected
Lynn Cowell


"So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." Luke 15:20 (NIV)

My daughter, her two friends and I packed the car for our overnight trip to the mountains. Our plan was to pick up my son and head for the slopes for a wonderful day of tubing and making memories in the snow. Then reality set in with a series of disappointments.

Disappointment #1: When we arrived at my son's apartment, he had decided not to go snow tubing with us.

Disappointment #2: The bitter wind made me want to crawl back in my car.

Disappointment #3: The girls weren't having as much fun as I had expected.

Disappointment #4: When we arrived at the cabin, it wasn't clean.

By this point, disappointment draped itself over my heart. So when the girls asked if there was an alternative to the homemade lasagna I'd planned for supper, I felt like losing it! I didn't yell, but you know you don't have to yell at someone to "yell" at someone!

The small issues throughout the day had created one big issue in my heart. My expectations that this mountain excursion was going to recharge, rejuvenate, renew me didn't happen!

Expectations of others can easily cause bumps in my relationships. Often when I hit one of those bumps, I choose to wait. Wait for the phone call, text or email saying "I'm sorry" before moving on.

However, the Bible shows me a different way to respond to unmet expectations using the example of the father in the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15.

In the story, the son showed an audacious amount of disrespect by requesting his inheritance while his father was still living. As a parent, you could interpret this rudeness on endless levels. I am sure the father was more inconvenienced or disappointed than I was that snowy day in the mountains.

To make matters worse, the son's choices after receiving the money caused more heartache. He had wasted his entire inheritance and had nowhere to go. So this desperate young man headed home.

It is the father's next step that humbles me and causes me to reconsider my response to disappointment: "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him ..."

While he was still a long way off ...

The father had no idea why the son was returning. He could have been coming to ask for more money or possessions or land. However, no matter the son's motives or attitude, the father's love was in motion as soon as he saw his son. Not holding back to see what the son had to say, the father gave his love.

I wonder if like me, the father was ever tempted to keep score. If he did, not only would it have been uneven, there would have been a huge deficit. Father: 100. Son: -100.

Thankfully, God, our Heavenly father, is like the father in Luke 15. He continually extends love to us despite the deficit we bring to the relationship. He settled the score when Jesus died on the cross to take away our sin.

Because God freely and unconditionally pours love on me, I can freely give to others. I, too, can give up keeping score—with my family, my friends, even with the rude woman in customer service.

Because I am forgiven, loved and embraced I can forgive, love and embrace.

The father demonstrated love. He ran, he kissed, he gave. Love that is demonstrated is love that is felt. John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends" (NIV).

For me, I demonstrate love by laying down my expectations of others and stop keeping score. This becomes easier when I understand God's great, unconditional love for me.

Thank you, Father for demonstrating a different way. Your love, through us, makes it possible to love others. Help me stop keeping score and open my eyes to see Your love poured over me. Teach me to rely on that love so I can pour love over others. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Lynn Cowell is giving away free resources today to empower you to have a deeper understanding of God's love so you can in turn love others. Stop by her blog!

To give love, we need to understand God's love. His Revolutionary Love: Jesus' Radical Pursuit of You can help a young woman in your life grasp just how crazy Jesus is about her.

Reflect and Respond:
Write a note to that person in your life you've had a hard time not keeping score with. Assure them of your love for them!

Power Verse:
John 15:9, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love." (NIV)

© 2014 by Lynn Cowell. All rights reserved.

[Judy Harder]

January 20, 2014

Home-Shaping
Karen Ehman


"My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge." Psalm 62:7 (NIV)

They piled high on the living room coffee table: colorfully wrapped boxes with curly, coordinating bows and snappy gift bags with crisp tissue paper peeking out of their tops in anticipation. They accented the festivities as nearly three-dozen friends eagerly gathered for an open house for my friend Thida.

A Cambodian native, Thida met Keith when he was studying abroad in her country. Now married and living in the United States, our circle of friends showered Thida with well-wishes and the heartfelt welcome of an old-fashioned housewarming party.

What domestic treasures she opened that night! New fluffy towels in deep jewel tones, contemporary metal candleholders and spicy-scented candles, kitchen utensils and casserole dishes, picture frames and pots. Ever a soft-spoken and grateful soul, this sweet twenty-something new bride was visually humbled and verbally thankful with each package she unwrapped.

Every so often, she would look at the crowd and utter the same phrase, "Oh ... I want to thank you so much for helping me to shape our home."

We knew what Thida meant. She meant to "furnish" her home, to decorate and outfit it with needed and useful items. However, somehow when trying to get her sentiments across by speaking in English (her second language) the phrase she continually chose was "shape our home."

As I heard sweet Thida utter these words many times that night, it struck a chord within my soul. In essence this group of siblings, aunts, cousins, and grandparents-by-marriage, along with an abundance of new friends, were doing exactly that!

Thida is from a country where, of the 14.5 million inhabitants, only a few thousand claim to follow Christ. Over 95% of Cambodians are practicing Buddhists.

Thida began a relationship with Jesus through the example of an aunt and, although the rest of her family is still Buddhist, this strong woman now loves and serves the God of the Bible. She chose to break from her parents' tradition to begin a new life with Christ. And, aside from her aunt, she had no one who could help her learn what it meant to live as a woman and wife according to God's ways.

Thida made a choice. Rather than choosing the false god of her ancestors, she chose the true God of the Bible. And she and her husband desire nothing more than to build their home and grow a family someday according to the ways of the Lord. And now we, as her circle of support in her new country of residence, will try our best to encourage her in her endeavors; to model a Christian home with our actions and decisions. Yes, you could say in essence that we all have made a covenant to help precious Thida do exactly what she declared—"shape her home."

Do you know another woman who has made a decision for Christ? One who left her former ways to walk in the ways of the Lord? If so, there are eyes upon you, watching, soaking and learning. What will she see? Will you help her shape her earthly home, and her heart's home, with God's truths while building on the foundations of Christ?

Home shaping is significant business. May we all be mirrors that reflect Christ to those who are watching, soaking and learning. And yes...perhaps even shaping.

Dear Lord, may I be ever mindful there are others looking to me for an example of how to shape our lives according to Your ways. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources
Proverbs 31 Ministries has partnered with Fashion & Compassion to help women seeking to overcome poverty through economic empowerment. This month we are featuring a handmade bead bracelet with a brass button featuring the words Psalm 62:7. Click here for more information.

Visit Karen's blog for a giveaway of the Refuge Wrap Bracelet.

A Life that Says Welcome by Karen Ehman

Reflect and Respond:
What are some ways you try to weave the Bible's commands into your home life?

How can you help others who are new in the faith to ground their hearts in God, His Word and His ways?

Power Verse:
Luke 4:8 "And Jesus answered him, 'It is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve."'" (ESV)

© 2014 by Karen Ehman. All rights reserved.