Category: Faith
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We Want A King. We Want It Now. *devotional*
“But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, (emphasis added) with a king to lead us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 1 Samuel 8:19-20 Devotion The elders of Israel had asked Samuel for […]
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Greater *devotional*
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16 Devotion Great love, great gift. The word “great” has always been one of my favorite words. It brings with it the idea things couldn’t be much better, that the world […]
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Not Your Battle *devotional*
Read And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.’”2 Chronicles 20:15 Recommended reading: 2 Chronicles 20, a great chapter showing believers what steps […]
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Frog Hat *devotional*
Devotion How do you like my frog hat? I am at the treatment center waiting for my chemotherapy. Today I am handing out bookmarks to the other cancer patients. I made them. I know. I’m a 52-year-old dork, but at least I’m a dork for Jesus! One side has a Bible verse, and the other […]
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Joy & Strength *devotional*
Read “O LORD, don’t rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage. Have compassion on me, LORD, for I am weak. Heal me, LORD for my bones are in agony. I am sick at heart. How long, O LORD, until you restore me? Return, O LORD, and rescue me. Save me because […]
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Faith Like a Lamb *devotional*
One of our sheep is a ewe named Rose. She was the first sheep I had ever halter trained. When Rose was young, I regularly went down to the pasture to talk to and pet her. In doing so, a bond was forged between sweet little Rose and myself. From the time I first put […]
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Fickle Faith
“Faith is confidence in what we hope for and the assurance that God is working, even though we cannot see it. Faith knows that no matter what the situation, in our lives or someone else’s, that God is working in it.” That’s the definition you get if you ask Google. It’s a great definition but […]
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Repurposed
Isaiah 55:11 promises God’s Word does not go out without a purposeful return in all He means to accomplish. I have witnessed this spiritual principle many times. All around, we have opportunities in how we carry His Word and how we listen to it ourselves. words + photographs MELISSA SWEARENGIN I once heard a funny […]
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Trust And Fear Not, For God Is
I have experienced many blessings in this life, but I have also faced formidable storms. Perhaps you understand. I have often heard it said if you are not coming out of a storm, or currently in a storm, expect a storm will be coming. words + photograph NANCY EASTER I was blessed to have been […]
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Unfailing Love
I went through one of the darkest times of my life. I was being tormented by the darkness, and I felt far from God’s love. I wasn’t sure how I suddenly got dumped in such a moment, but all I knew was I felt abandoned and alone, and I thought I had no hope for […]
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Our Beautiful God: gives me His undivided attention, knows my name, loves me deeply
Have you ever thought to yourself that God had forgotten about you? How did you process this? How did you protect yourself from being overwhelmed by your thoughts? If you are anything like me, not only have you felt forgotten by God, but you’ve had to wrestle through your thoughts on how to address the […]
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A Love Like His
I love chocolate ice cream. I love the Kansas City Chiefs. I love my wife. All of those statements are true, but the meaning varies wildly. While I do enjoy chocolate ice cream very much, it does not hold the same place in my heart as my affection for my wife. words + photographs JOSHUA […]
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Long Live Love
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I […]
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Joshua Manning Loves His Neighbors
I grew up in Southwest City, Missouri. Most people wave at you when they see you driving down the road. People are friendly to a fault. When I met someone who did not know me in town, I would usually list off my older relatives. When they determined I was Walter’s grandson and Galen’s son, […]
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Love Allows Purpose In Pain
Now I want you to know,brothers and sisters,that what has happened to mehas actually served to advance the gospel.Philippians 1:12 I asked Chris Rees to my senior prom in 1991. It was our first date. I was 17; he was 19. Our families had known each other for years, and we attended the same church. […]
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Foster/Adopt: Teresa Flora
If we had an hour and two cups of tea, I would tell you a remarkable miracle story. words + photographs TERESA FLORA The story’s main characters met at the age of 13. Married at 18. Did the normal married people stuff. He was a preacher; she was a nurse. They had three perfect sons, […]
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Once New, Always New
A few weeks ago, we received a wonderful phone call. Our daughter called and told us our oldest granddaughter, Harlee, came to the living room that morning and was emotional and feeling sad. After some snuggle time on the couch, our granddaughter looked at her mom with eyes bright with tears and said, “I need […]
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