Devotional - God's Gifts

Read Romans 12: 1-8

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
-Romans 8:28 (KJV)

As with many women these days, my days can be crazy - - -between work and the kids, there hardly seems any time. Yet, somehow I find a way to work in volunteerism, book clubs, and homeschooling our children. Although to outsiders, it looks like I am always organized and prepared, inside I’m terrified that I have forgotten something or wondering what I will do if something goes wrong. On one of these particular days, I was particularly harried I ran into my minister. He simply said, “You know, Dawn, Romans 8:28 that is what I always say.” I think the blank stare in my eyes told him that I did not understand the reference. “All things work together for good to those who love God,”(NKJV) he winked and walked away. Immediately I felt better. He was right. I was working for God. I had done all that I could to prepare. It was in God’s hands. I could relax.
“Romans 8:28” is now my mantra whenever I feel unsure or overwhelmed. It even has become a bit of a reassuring chuckle, when as I make brownies for coffee hour, I have just enough flour or when someone comes to volunteer when I haven’t even voiced my need. I have even reminder our minister of this scripture when I’ve seen our minister a bit harried or overwhelmed.

Prayer: Dear God, Help us to find our Godly gifts so that we can better serve you. Help us to improve those gifts so that we show your glory throughout our church, community, and the world. Remind us that that when we do Your work, You stand beside us and carry us when needed. Amen

Thought for the Day
How can you use God’s gifts today?

Devotional - Let All Blessings Flow

Read Psalm 100

“And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessings.”
-Ezekiel 35:26 (KJV)

I had hit a dark time. It seemed that I could not escape a sadness that had taken over. I had spent so much of the past months helping with my mother’s care that when she died, I did not know how to go back to my “regular” life. Everything became a chore – something to get done so that I could get to the next thing. I knew I didn’t like being this way, but I could not seem to break the gloom. I decided that I needed to change my perspective, to start seeing God’s blessings again. I started to literally count my blessings. Each night before I went to bed, I listed at least five blessings that had occurred in my day. At first it seemed hard. One and two usually came quickly, but I really had to think of three, four, and five. But then as I continued, I could almost feel the Holy Spirit fill me. He hadn’t left me before. He had carried me or I most surely would have collapsed, but now He took a new role. As I asked for Him to fill me up, he did. As I took one step forward, He took two toward me. It wasn’t long until I could not only list 5 blessings a day, but could often fill full pages. God’s blessings were simple things like the flutter of a butterfly. They were concrete like cuddling with my children. They were spiritual like the feeling when singing hymns in church. I was awake again and in God’s light. It had always been there, but now I could see it.

Prayer: Dear God, You are always with us in dark days and joyous. Thank you for always being there. Please help me to continue to see the many blessings that you pour onto us. Amen

Thought for the Day:
Blessings are all around us, if we would just stop to look.

Devotional - God Endures

Read Peter 1: 23-25

“And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” Isaiah 58:11 (KJV)


When we bought our new house, we were so excited to have land of our own that we could plant and till. Due to the costs of actually buying the house, we had little extra to expend on purchasing more, but yardwork could easily be done with little expense. We were often out raking and planting. I took advantage of the many perennials that were already in the yard, splitting them and moving them to new areas. During this time, we came across many interesting things: more golf balls than could fill three coffee cans, old rusted tools still stuck in the soil, two stones that had etched in them Mom and Dad, an old wooden swing discarded in the woods. We could only guess where these things were from and why they were left here.
Inside, however, sat our Bible, a book filled with stories thousands of years old and a word that is just as true today as the day it was first written: A simple, but visible reminder of the fleetingness of this life and a promise of the everlasting life to come. A reminder of where our focus should be as we set about making our new home. Paint would make the house look pretty. Flowers would bring a sweet aroma. But without the foundation of our family in the Good Book, all our work would be for naught.


Prayer: Dear God, It is so easy to dream of more: to always wish for newer cars, bigger houses, and fancier clothes. Please forgive us for these earthly desires and remind us where the true treasure lies. Amen

Thought for the Day:
Center your life around God.