The Real Tragedy (#65 of 365+)

“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” (Ephesians 1:11)

Finishing Well (#64 of 365+)

“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith... Do your best to

Yours for a Song (#63 of 365+)

“Victory over the Enemy can be yours for a song!” said Joni. She quotes Amy Carmichael, missionary to India: “I truly believe Satan cannot endure the power of song and so slips out of the

Divine Distastes (#62 of 365+)

“And he could bear Israel's misery no longer” (Judges 10:16)

It seems that one of the most difficult questions asked of

Genuine Contrition (#61 of 365+)

“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy” (Proverbs 28:13)

Last night my husband asked me a simple question at a moment

For a Song (#60 of 365+)

“O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.” (Psalm 51:15)

Thanksgiving Day is tomorrow and I’m so excited that Christmas

She Did What She Could (#59 of 365+)

When my husband’s little brother visited us at our little apartment for the first time after we got married, I wanted him to feel comfortable enough to spend the night if he wanted to. But I

Thanks but No Thanks (#58 of 365+)

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever” (Psalm 136:1)

Since Thanksgiving Day is coming up this week, the subject of

In Weakness, Made Strong (#57 of 365+)

It is human nature to want to hide my faults and shortcomings. I'm not talking about simple physical defects (like the dark spots under my eyes that I try to brighten with make-up) but those big

Sweeter Than the Day Before (#56 of 365+)

The apostle Paul said, “Salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11 NIV). Another interpretation of this verse reads, “God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation

Remember (#55 of 365+)

In today’s devotional Joni said, “Emotions are one of the least reliable yet influential forces in our lives… When hardship settles in, dark and brooding emotions can surge over us in a tide of

In Everything... for Everything (#54 of 365+)

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Since I find God faithful in both good and bad situations, giving thanks to him for being there

God’s Idea of Good (#53 of 365+)

Our son is learning that we will give him grace when he makes a bad decision, but if he chooses poorly on purpose (and especially if he has an attitude of defiance about it) there will be

A Warm Spot (#52 of 365+)

The weather is getting colder now that we’re approaching winter. This morning it’s only 31°F. When I let the doggies out, they were very quick to do their business before they ran back inside.

God’s Got Reasons (#51 of 365+)

Remember yesterday’s devotional? Joni lost her spoon again. This time, she was on a mission trip through Africa. She earnestly prayed for God to show her where the spoon was but he “was

The Shovel Spoon (#50 of 365+)

Yesterday my husband and I had a lengthy discussion about the mileage on the car. If we go over the maximum number of miles in our lease agreement we’ll have to pay a per-mileage penalty,

And Can It Be? (#49 of 365+)

The title of today’s devotional is the name of a hymn that seemed especially striking to Joni the morning she accepted Christ. The third verse goes: “Long my imprisoned soul lay fast/Bound in sin

How'd It Go? (#48 of 365+)

Ever have one of those days or weeks when everything went wrong... and then someone asked you, “How’s it going?”...

Caribbean Pines (#47 of 365+)

God is reinforcing the lesson I received from the “Crowded to Christ” devotional two days ago when I wrote, “…every test of faith is also a test of God’s faithfulness [and] an invitation to

Remember Them! (#46 of 365+)

Today is Veterans’ Day...

There’s a special place in my heart reserved for veterans and all

Crowded to Christ (#45 of 365+)

Yesterday I overheard a woman counsel a young Christian lady who was in crisis because of poor choices she had made. She told her God loves her so much that he’s holding a huge heap of

The Interests of Others (#44 of 365+)

I apologize in advance for the following business analogies but at the moment this is the best way for me to mull over some things I’m having issues with this morning. The separation of Church and

Quality and Quantity (#43 of 365+)

Jesus’ first public miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding party (John 2). In today’s devotional Joni said, “This wasn’t the plain label stuff” and one 30-gallon jar “would have

Send Me (#42 of 365+)

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8)

May the Mind of Christ My Savior (#41 of 365+)

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5 KJV)

The title of today’s devotional is one of Joni’s favorite hymns.

A Wall of Hostility (#40 of 365+)

“For [Christ] himself is our peace... and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations… to create in himself one new

God Repenting? (#39 of 365+)

“So the LORD relented” (Amos 7:3)

Did God change his mind, or repent of a bad opinion? Does God

Focus in Service (#38 of 365+)

Last night I attended volunteer training for a local ministry and God spoke to me through a guest speaker. She quoted the following verse: “Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the

When in Pain (#37 of 365+)

Our extended family is grieving for Kelly, a much loved dog, who died at the age of twelve human years this past Saturday morning. Although she still seemed to be in very good spirits when the

The Devil's Real Weapon (#36 of 365+)

Yesterday was Halloween and I had a chance to spend a couple of hours in front of the TV with my son and niece. We watched a show about haunted places in America, including the scary