4 Ways to Stay Focused on Jesus at Christmas
Imagine undertaking this year’s Christmas tasks with prayer instead of haste.
Imagine undertaking this year’s Christmas tasks with prayer instead of haste.
We see that the enemy’s primary tactic was not only to destroy all that was precious to Job, but to lead Job to harden his heart toward God.
God’s Word offensively attacks the enemy like a sword.
When I’m having a hard time loving someone, I ask God to remind me of His love for me.
We resist the enemy by confessing our habitual and intentional sins, receiving God’s forgiveness, and repenting.
The kitchen is silent, but my heart worships the one who is greater than all my worries.
We tend to grasp for a sense of control before we even think about turning to God for help.
You hold the power to break down that toxic thought and replace it with what is true from God’s Word.
Ask God to help you lean into Him and believe that even if you fail, He will continue to direct your life.
I encourage you to resist the urge to make mental lists of what your kids or family members are doing wrong.
Today, I gently encourage you to step into the raging waters and watch for God to make a way.
Some of us hesitate to begin new endeavors because we want to be perfect from the start.
God invites you to bring your weary and burdened self to him, take his yoke upon your shoulders, and learn to live lighter.
Perhaps this is the secret to a life well-lived: Look for everything that’s good.
In a world saturated with unhealthy ways to relieve stress, the benefits of nature abound.
God will use this valley to mature you, to make you complete, lacking nothing.
When we pour our whole hearts into the work of our hands, God is glorified.
Whether it’s a group of moms, a group of friends, or even an online community, we all need a place to share life with others.
Remind yourself that not having what it takes might be the key ingredient for the next miracle in your life.
Pain is a refining fire that will bring the joy, focus, and purposefulness you crave when you reach the other side.
Without the difficult time you are facing now, you won’t be prepared for the greatness that awaits you.
Do you need the reminder that you are not alone—that someone is standing in your corner and has your back?
We can stand on this powerful promise: Nothing can ever take God’s love away from us.
What God is doing in you throughout this season is far more important than what He is doing for you.
No matter what you are facing today, God is already there.
God is bigger than your ability to hear from him.
There is always something to be grateful for, even in seasons of waiting.
Perhaps you know how it feels to cry out to God in your storm and find only silence.
We want to connect with God in the quiet moments of our days, but we’re distracted, restless, and quite possibly even bored.
If you’ve been longing for a fresh encounter with the Lord, here are a few practical ways to empty yourself and let God fill you.
I’ve learned that giving new endeavors time helps me determine whether I was sensing God’s direction or feeling only human excitement.
When our lives are too full, and we are not bearing fruit, God often shows us by stripping away everything that hinders us.
How do we rise above stress and burnout as we aim to walk in God’s peace?
God used the difficult time to show me that as much as I crave control in my life, He is truly in control.
Maybe you’re facing a heartbreaking loss, and you wonder why God seems silent.
The applause will destroy us if we don’t first learn to live for an audience of One in the dark.
I don’t know what you’re waiting for today, but I do know that waiting isn’t easy.
I consider what it will look like to walk through the rest of my day with my eyes focused on Christ.
Watch for His hand, and when you cannot see Him, stand on His promises.
When we can do the hard work in unseen places and do it with gratitude, we are transformed.
The kingdom continues to thrive when hearts surrender to Christ’s Lordship in this age.
We realize the high calling of walking with Him leads us up mountains we never expected to climb.
In a world saturated with unhealthy ways to relieve stress, the benefits of nature abound.
Do what you know to do, and keep doing the next right thing.
We follow God into risk when He leads us outside our comfort zones for His purposes.
I find that having something enjoyable to anticipate is deeply satisfying and helps lift my head.
Perhaps you need the reminder that God is working while you wait for Him to answer your prayers.
The good that will come from your pain is that you’ll look more like Jesus on the other side of this painful season.
I feel stretched too thin in some seasons, and I feel far too housebound in others.
Today’s assignment might feel small, but the visibility of an assignment isn’t an indication of its importance.
Do what you can to keep from giving up – to keep from plunging into the pit of those who have quit.
Pain can lead us to harden our hearts, or we can allow God to use our pain to mold us to the image of Christ.
Your healing will take place within the context of His people, not wandering alone.
When I can enjoy God’s gifts in moderation, fixing my eyes on what is good, I resist the urge to overindulge.
God is calling you to set a goal to do everything for His glory.
I’m learning to see every distracted moment as a new opportunity to return my gaze to Jesus.
I can find ten minutes—ten minutes to do nothing but lean back and enjoy being with God while he enjoys being with me.
On the darkest days, we lift our eyes to our One Word.
This week, let’s be mindful to approach our relationships with soft hearts.
I decided to make a list of the times and places I saw Immanuel, God with us, show up in my ordinary life.
We can change the way our brains function by focusing on God’s goodness.
God wants us to bring our burdens and create space for Him to direct our footsteps.
Sadly, when I place my peace in circumstantial order, I’ve placed my peace on shifting sands.
I don’t have to be the perfect mother or love every moment of this day. But I can find moments to cherish.
I imagine the joy of Jesus’ countenance shining upon me as we sit together and enjoy one another.
Regardless of whether your pain is any fault of your own, Jesus is right here with you.
As we embrace the way God created us, we will be compelled to offer our authentic selves to others, and this is always a gift.
Everything fell apart, and now you wonder if you ever heard from God in the first place.
Pray for the Lord to daily provide sustenance to face each day as the family endures the stages of grief.
Your place might not be a sleeping forest on a damp spring morning, but today, I encourage you to go to your restful place.
Most likely, you’re waiting for God to answer a prayer or usher you into a new season, too.
Regardless of whether you’re overwhelmed by a positive change or a negative change, being kind to yourself is an important part of moving forward.
God pursues us, and His pursuit always transforms us.
I can use the emotions as a prompt to send me running to Jesus’ open arms.
God will use the hard parts of your story to comfort, encourage, and inspire others.
Be a leader and be kind to the kids who are often rejected by others.
God often calls us into assignments for which we don’t feel equipped.
When we suffer, God wants us to remember that He is with us.
God goes before you and behind you, and He is worthy of your trust.
Everyone makes mistakes, and your friends will eventually let you down.
God doesn’t often offer five-year plans for the journey of faith and trust.
Do you feel discouraged, afraid, or grumpy today? God has a purpose for you.
Whether your children are seven or thirty-seven, your prayers hold the power to shape their lives.
Perhaps it’s time we stop grumbling about the messes other people leave for us and the interruptions to our schedules.
It’s important to understand who you are and accept it.
We cannot fulfill God’s calling when we’re looking at ourselves or chasing the approval of others.
It’s tough to give lots of effort when you’re doing something you don’t enjoy.
The healthiest rhythm I have found throughout the past few years is the rhythm of the un-rushed life.
The outcome is always better when we stay calm and respond with gentleness.
The secret is to lay it all down, let my arms hang loose, and rest with the One who holds my world together.
In stressful and grouchy moments, spending a few minutes giving thanks can help us return to joy.
Pull the trigger one too many times, and you lose the ability to cope.
Whenever you feel alone, just remember that you are never truly alone.
Your humble service is most likely the most important work you will ever pursue.
Have you ever noticed that many of the people to whom Jesus ministered were people who had interrupted him?
We should each embrace our differences and be proud of them.
I made up my mind to turn to Jesus every time uncertainty threatened to derail my trust.
Jesus promised trouble. But He also promised His peace.
Finding your identity in God’s love holds the power to change every aspect of your life.
The Lord tenderly reminded me that my unique characteristics are the precise gifts he wants to use to fulfill his purpose through me.