The Real Halloween (#35 of 365+)

Last night my husband and I took our son and niece to a local church’s version of a haunted house. A large group of visitors were led through a series of dark rooms, each one revealing its

In Season... and Out (#34 of 365+)

Yesterday on Pastor’s Perspective, a radio ministry of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, they announced The Awakening ‘09 Evangelism Conference to be held October 30 – 31. Speakers

Fighting Fire with Fire (#33 of 365+)

“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22 ESV)

No Divisions (#32 of 365+)

“God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal

What Impresses God (#31 of 365+)

I began working in the business world about twelve years ago, at a time when I was in the middle of a divorce and felt completely lost. I didn’t have a college degree or anything impressive on my

Eyes... Blind or Open? (#30 of 365+)

My beloved husband and I had a little disagreement last night. OK, maybe it was a big disagreement because I cried so much I woke up this morning with a splitting headache. Without getting

God's Wedding Ring (#29 of 365+)

There are numerous times the Old Testament foreshadows Jesus Christ. The story of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah is one such example. Abraham had faith that God would provide a lamb

Hearts Fully Committed (#28 of 365+)

Recently I overheard a conversation between two of my fellow managers at work. One of the men had just received a text message from his wife. She was going over to a friend’s house for

Therefore... (#27 of 365+)

I shop at an Asian grocery store that is both owned and operated by a sweet elderly Korean couple. The old man always offers to carry something for me and the old woman smiles and gives me

Future Memories (#26 of 365+)

Things didn’t go so well yesterday. We didn’t get reimbursed for the plumber and the water extraction company. The property manager never apologized and never took responsibility for her

A Weaned Child (#25 of 365+)

Our hot water heater exploded last night! Thirty gallons of water seeped into the carpet as we tried to fight off the tide while waiting for help to arrive. Since we live in a townhouse apartment we

Clothed in Righteousness (#24 of 365+)

I completed this devotional during my lunch hour. I woke up too late this morning to have it then so I quickly decided to just get ready for work and do it later during the day. I really, really

The Fear of the Lord (#23 of 365+)

“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD” (Proverbs 23:17)

In other words, “Don’t be jealous. Be zealous”. This verse is a

Take It by Force (#22 of 365+)

These were Jesus’ own words: “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it” (Matthew 11:12)

A Prompting from the Spirit (#21 of 365+)

Opera and theater performers are human. They get tired, distracted, and they forget just like the rest of us. So they rely on someone to give them cues to their next phrase or line. This

What Do I Have? (#20 of 365+)

Due to a recent series of events, my husband and I had to share “my car” this entire week. His job requires mobility so of course I understood that he needed possession of the car all day.

The Shiny, Sharp Tool (#19 of 365+)

The shiny, sharp tool Joni is talking about in today’s devotional lesson is the devil’s favorite tool, the one he uses often. Discouragement.

The Lord's Right Hand (#18 of 365+)

The Book of Revelation was written by John, one of the closest friends Jesus Christ had during his earthly ministry. When I did some research about the author I found some facts that were both

When Pain Moves In (#17 of 365+)

The most severe physical pain I’ve known was labor contractions. It was 1993, I was a young first-time mother, and my baby’s father was deployed to Somalia. The pain in my lower back was so

A Triumphal Procession (#16 of 365+)

When I learned last week that October 12th was going to be a school district holiday, I requested to take today off from work so my son and I could be together. Now that I’ve been studying my

The Price of Identifying (#15 of 365+)

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity.” (Hebrews 2:14)

My family attended church together only a few times when I was a

"Doorkeeping" Tasks (#14 of 365+)

In Korea, as in many Asian countries, the surname is placed first in front of a person’s given name. So instead of John Smith your full name is Smith John. Children inherit their father’s family

One with Him (#13 of 365+)

Recently my son has been having issues with something and it has become apparent that he requires counseling. My husband suggests that we take him to our pastor because he relates well to

Real Dignity (#12 of 365+)

I have loved the following words from the Declaration of Independence ever since I had to memorize them in middle school: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are

Hand-Tailored Grace (#11 of 365+)

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart..." (Jeremiah 1:5)

"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one

Jesus' Social Life (#10 of 365+)

Being brought up in a military family afforded me the opportunity to move around a lot and meet all kinds of people. At an early age I developed the ability to make friends with anyone without

God Meant It for Good (#9 of 365+)

After one week of daily devotionals, I can already see a change in my attitude. This morning I spent more time than usual praying and the bulk of my prayers were for other people. I'm not as "woe-

It Could Be Worse (#8 of 365+)

Yesterday I attended an Apologetics and Worldview Conference at a local church. This church hosts a Christian school, and the mascot there is a warrior decked out in knight’s gear. The symbol

Confined Contentment (#7 of 365+)

In the movie The Shawshank Redemption a man named “Red” repeatedly failed to convince officials during parole hearings that he was a changed man and had served his time. He had lost hope

A Lesson in Humiliation (#6 of 365+)

Joni's devotional today referred to a story about a personal humiliation that helped her to see her own sin and hypocrisy in one area of her life. As she said, God "brushes aside our smooth

Waiting in Prayer (#5 of 365+)

"In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."" Psalm 5:3

In this morning's devotional, Joni told the story of a wheelchair