A Testimony of Voices: 100 Devotionals Rising as One

Introduction

I started Granola Bar Devotional Ministry at my local church with a handful of ladies in 2006. I then put all of our devotionals online and opened submissions to people around the world. Granola Bar Devotional turned into enLIVEn Devotionals, and we began publishing award-winning anthologies with proceeds going to mission work around the world. Writers donating their words to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the hungry, hurt and lost. What could be better?

Recently, I looked through our blog (which came online in 2009) and re-read the devotionals that I had gathered and edited over the last fifteen years. They were each so special to me, and I decided to do the impossible. I began trying to contact each of the writers—some of which I hadn’t spoken to in more than ten years—and ask them if they wanted to publish their online devotionals in an anthology. I found quite a few of my earlier writers. In fact, I decided to publish the devotionals in two books: A Testimony of Voices and A Movement of Hearts.

I opened submissions to new writers, as well. I was hoping to get 100 devotionals in each book, but God gave me even more. I call them my overflow, which God is in the business of doing.

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38 NIV).

I gave God my best, and He, in return, gave me His best, which is always more than we could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). I pray these devotionals bless you. We have writers from all different backgrounds, uniting together as one voice to declare the goodness of God and salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. May their words encourage your faith and inspire you to claim the victory that is rightfully yours through Jesus’ Finished Work on the Cross. We are a tapestry of unique styles and voices woven together into an inspiring, collaborative design.

“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…” (Revelation 12:11 NIV).

Thank you to all of my amazing writers for writing, proofing and donating your words. Also, I am grateful to Patricia Coughlin and Shay Lee for your additional help.

With love,

alisa

I Am Pretty

With her blonde ringlets dripping wet and her blue eyes sparkling, I reached down and pulled my two-year-old granddaughter up from the bathtub. Wrapping a towel around her, I sat her on the bathroom counter to dry her off and brush out her hair.

As we finish our nightly routine, she wiggles out of her towel to stand and stare at herself in the mirror. I was captivated by the look in her eyes as she stared directly at her naked self in the mirror.

Her smile was large. Her eyes were wide. The love of herself was evident. In her tiny two-year-old voice she began to sing as she swayed admiring herself, “I’m so pretty. Yes, I’m pretty. I’m gorgeous, uh-huh. Um, mmmm.”

As my eyes filled with tears, I knew that moment would forever be etched in my memory. God creates us with so much beauty and before we are ten years old the world seems to steal the recognition of that from us. The love that we have for ourselves, our bodies, and our creative spirits vanish leaving us questioning and doubting our uniqueness and talents.

I felt a twinge of jealousy rush through me as she continued to dance and declare her beauty. What I wouldn’t give for that joy and child-like wonder again. Most days if you were to catch me looking at myself in the mirror, I wouldn’t be singing about how gorgeous I am. Nor would I even feel free enough to sway to my own made-up song — on key or off. No, you’d find me sizing up myself against everyone else trying to figure out how I could enhance or change my looks. The wonder has long left as I’ve noticed and questioned how to rid myself of flaws.

It must bring a tear to God’s eye as I complain about the intricacies that I don’t like about my being. It’s hard for me to recognize my own beauty where I could proclaim I am pretty. I am gorgeous. And the truth is I am because God’s Word tells me so.

“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation!” (Psalms 139:13-14 MSG).

When we are focused on our flaws, we forget we are made in God’s image. And losing our sense of awe about our own beauty, we forget to notice the marvelous creation that God has shaped.

Memory Verse:

“Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.”

- Psalms 139:14 (NLT)

Prayer Prompt:

“Father, thank You for the beautiful ways You have knit me together in the dark of my mother’s womb. From the tip of my toes to the top of my head, I am marvelously made. Lord, I thank You…”

Contributing Writing:

Alene Snodgrass

Cast Your Nets

Looking out into the bay through the large plate glass windows in my office, I watched as morning shrimpers tossed their nets into the water. One old shrimp boat moved forward steadily as its nets filled with the catch of the day. Eventually, the shrimpers pulled in their nets harvesting their shrimp, and then moved further into the bay, continuing the process several times throughout the morning.

Watching the shrimpers, I was reminded of story in Matthew chapter four. Walking along the beach of Lake Galilee, Jesus encountered Simon (Peter) and Andrew, and later, James and John. He tells them to follow Him and said He would make them fishers of men. Asking no questions, they lay down their nets and followed Jesus.

That story motivates me to ask God to show me where to cast my net. Daily, I must lay down the task that I’m doing in order to obey His leading. He shows me where I’m needed to share an encouraging word or smile. He shows me to whom I can offer hope or guidance, or simply when to lend a hand to someone in need. Like the shrimpers who cast their nets day after day, I have confidence that when I throw out my net, I will reap a harvest. I am a fisher of souls, and God will use me to bring others into relationship with Him.

Memory Verse:

“‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.”

- Matthew 4:19-20 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:

“Heavenly Father, help me to be a faithful fisher of men. May my words and actions be an instrument in bringing others to Christ and restoring hope through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help me to lay down the many tasks that I have and listen to your leading. Reveal to me the areas in my life that You would like me to cast my net...”

Contributing Writer:

Vicki Beck

Give Up!

My husband, Wayne, and I had spent our entire lives being frugal. We invested every extra penny we had. It was very important to us that we had impeccable credit. Eight years ago we said “Yes” to Jesus and began to invest into the lives of widows and orphans in the poorest area of Mombasa, Kenya.

We had no official training, but somehow God was using us powerfully and many lives were being transformed—both physically and spiritually. In fact, it was so fruitful there is no way I can explain it in words except to say it was supernatural.

Everything was great until it wasn’t.

Our ministries were still flourishing. But our investments were not. It was two years ago that our investments began to plummet. Our rent houses had tenants that weren’t paying rent, and the houses had roof problems and major plumbing problems. Our ministry financial needs we’re going up while our financial support was going down.

When you are in a ministry, surrounded daily with people going hungry and unloved children, the understanding of money comes into the right perspective, where it should be. It’s just money. So we kept praying: “God, this is Your work, Your people and You own it all. If You want us to be here, You will make a way.” And then another bill would come in. In one year, our savings had gone into a debt of $30,000.

Were we misunderstanding what God was telling us?

Everything in the physical said, “Go home!” Everything in our spirits said, “Stay.”

It seemed things couldn’t get worse, but they did.

Our daughter was having extreme morning sickness. At one point, she had even torn her esophagus from vomiting. She was unable to get out of bed to take care of our grandson. Our other daughter was sick as well and had fallen, breaking her front teeth. Somehow our diminishing debt didn’t seem as important. Our daughters needed us.

So we decided to give up. Wayne and I sat down and made a video to inform our people we were coming home. It was painfully humbling, but somehow when we were done, we felt so free. It was at the moment of giving up, peace came over us. We knew God was going to take care of everything.

And He did.

People we didn’t know came from all over to minister to our daughter. They took my grandson for play dates, hired housekeepers, cooked meals etc. Our other daughter was able to get all the medical and dental help she needed to bring back her beautiful smile.

Then money started to come in from places we still don’t really understand. It wasn’t overnight, but slowly everything began to work itself out. Sometimes, the miracles God wants to do in our lives take time. He is always working things out.

Two years have gone by since we gave up. We are still in Kenya. We just signed a 10-year lease for a gigantic building in the middle of the village. We are creating a huge space that will be able to hold all the love of Jesus, and it will pour out into the community. We will plant seeds of hope into a community of hopelessness, and God will grow those seeds into oaks of righteousness for His glory.

We are thankful for that season of being without. God has taught us to see trials as the perfect place for Him to do something only He can do.

Memory Verse:

“…They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”

- Isaiah 61:3b (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:

“Father God I trust Your hand even when I don’t understand it. Grow my faith stronger today so that I see Your hand in everything. I want to see Your hand in every struggle and trial. When I keep my eyes on You, Jesus, trials are no longer heavy burdens; rather, they become a part of a journey to miracles…”

Contributing Writer:

Tammy Andrus

Focus on Today

I spend so much time at work: 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 4 weeks a month. This is a regular work schedule, but it seems like forever to me. Is my job horrible? No! My job is actually good, and I normally enjoy myself.

Why do I dread going to work? I dread work because I keep comparing it to what I want for the future. I am pregnant, and all I want to do is quit my job and raise my child. The only problem is I am not due for seven more months!

The other problem is I think God wants me to stay where I am at for the time being. I was tempted to quit, but some new circumstances make it impossible. So now I see two options (a) continue working and being miserable comparing my life to what I desire for the future or (b) continue working and focus on what God wants me to accomplish in my present situation.

This seems like simple advice, but it is so hard to get beyond my own self-focused desires. We go through many chapters in our lives; and if we compare our current chapter to our past chapters or future chapters, we may miss what God is trying to teach us at the moment.

Memory Verse:

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”

- Psalms 1:3 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:

“Lord, help me to push my will aside and focus on Your will for my life. Help me to go through this chapter of my life and learn what You want me to learn and touch the lives of the people around me. Help me to not compare my current chapter to my past/future chapters. Help me to accept Your timing and…”

Contributing Writer:

Christina Downing

Stilled Silence

Every morning, come rain or shine or rain (we do live in almost-tropical Tampa, after all), I walk our dog, Jedi. I don’t drink coffee, so my morning walk is like a large cup of caffeine. It’s a perfect time to get outside, get some exercise, and get with the Lord in quiet prayer as I enjoy His creation.

Christmas morning? Just another morning to Jedi, so after presents were opened and cinnamon rolls and scrambled eggs were devoured, our eager pointer/boxer mix and I took off for a one-mile loop around our neighborhood.

my usual walking companion. Our subdivision is located near a six-lane highway that bustles with vehicles all hours of the day and night. Especially the mornings, when cars whiz by to get to work on time.

We usually stroll to the entrance of our community and back. I hear everything from honks to brakes squealing to loud shifting from semis and dump trucks out on US 301.

Christmas morning was different. It was silent, and the lack of noise during the walk was a sensory shock.

The hushed silence wrapped around me, full and soft, created by the celebration of a perfect Life lived for us.

Stilled silence.

The past two weeks I gently prayed for a word or verse. I try not to make a big deal out of it, keeping to the realization that if the Lord gives me a word for the upcoming year, a word He’ll use to have me bring Him due glory in the new year, then I would welcome it.

During the startling, beautiful silence of my Christmas morning walk, the word “still” came to me, fresh from Psalms 46. “Be still, and know that I am God.”

“I know that, God. I know it.” I whispered.

But did I?

I ended last year with a frenzy of writing, shopping, activities, illness, work, and stress. It catapulted the daily lineup of life so full that I, like many, was almost indifferent to Christmas’s imminent arrival. Busyness is the devil’s best friend; it works us into a frenzy of often useful and truly good activities so that we’re far, far from having a stilled silence before the Lord.

I have no idea what’s to come in the future. But I welcome the New Year, trusting in the Lord with all my heart. I can only do this clinging to the words of Psalms 46.

This New Year, whatever your word, verse, or focus is, make sure God’s rightful place is on the throne of your life. Come before Him in stilled silence, in expectation of His grace and new mercies each day.

Memory Verse:

“Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, ‘The Lord be magnified!’”

- Psalms 40:16 (NKJV)

Prayer Prompt:

“Heavenly Father, a New Year means more chances to be still before You. Open my eyes to the wonder of You and help me hear Your voice amidst the busyness of life…”

Contributing Writer:

Kerry Johnson

Redeemed Joy!

For the past 10 years, I have been struggling with depression and feelings of hopelessness. I believe it started after I married my husband strictly out of trying to obey the Lord.

My husband and I were living together and not married. We were invited to visit a church close to our work with a fellow coworker. Once we were in, the Holy Spirit did His thing and started working on our hearts. We quickly began changing our ways and becoming more involved with the church. The last thing that remained was us living out of wedlock together. So on a whim we decided that we needed to get married, like next week! Everything came together and we were married.

No sooner than we returned from our honeymoon did the feelings of regret start to kick in. I had married a man out of guilt, trying to do the right thing by the Lord, rather than making sure I was marrying the man of my dreams. I started feeling like I had made a huge mistake and now I was trapped. I felt like I had married someone that I had nothing in common with–we grew up differently, we had different values, we weren’t friends.

One very positive thing about my relationship with my husband is our ability to openly and honestly communicate. I never held back my feelings towards him and even though I loved him, I didn’t like him and he wasn’t my best friend. I could tell him that and his response was, “I’m sorry you feel that way. I wish you didn’t.” Our marriage was nothing like I had dreamt about.

Over the years, we became more involved in our church and matured in our walk, but I still couldn’t find true happiness and joy. I would get so depressed and angry that I would rebel against my husband’s suggestions to read my Bible and pray more. I didn’t want to hear that anymore. My friends would tell me the same thing–that I needed to honor my husband and be more involved with my church and pray more and yada yada yada.

I was really starting to question my faith and my God, but He would always give me something to hang onto to let me know He was there. He would do things in my life that I had no reason but to believe it had to be the Lord. But even still, I didn’t understand why I didn’t have true joy in my heart. I felt like I was getting further away. I had given up any hope that I would ever be happy in my life.

Recently, I took my daughter to the bookstore. I don’t typically have time to sit down and read a book, so I had picked up a couple magazines and was just walking around the store. I came across a book with a sale tag on it that caught my eye: “Change your Thinking Change your Life” by Brian Tracy. It had a tagline on the back that read, “Live a happier and more satisfying life.” Well, for $7.98 it was worth a try! I cracked that book open one morning, and I haven’t been the same ever since.

I had not only been dealing with depression, but skin disorders, digestive issues, mood swings, inferiority and so on. I read a few lines that read, “Your thoughts can make you happy or sad, sometimes in an instance. Your thoughts, and the actions that they trigger, determine your whole life. And the best news of all is that they are completely under your own control.”

Something in my brain clicked. I had control over how I felt about my husband, my children, my life and everything. I put the book down and took my son to school and on my way home the sun was rising, the clouds were beautiful, the water was glistening in a way I never saw it before. I just started praising the Lord and thanking him for all that He made, where He placed me in this world, who He placed me with and all the abundance of blessings in my life.

That morning I came home and saw my husband through new eyes. I felt like a weight had been lifted off of me and I was made new. I looked at my kids and saw them for who I had never seen before. They were these little people that had grown up before my eyes, but I felt like I hadn’t really been there to see it.

Now, I am present, I am happy, I am thankful.

One of my best moments was my husband looking at me and saying he had never seen me look so happy. He said God answered his prayer! We will have just celebrated our 10 year anniversary and now I can wholeheartedly say I love my husband and my best friend more than ever. God blessed our obedience and restored our marriage.

Memory Verse:

“My lips shall shout for joy when I sing praises to You, and my soul, which You have redeemed.”

- Psalms 71:23 (AMP)

Prayer Prompt:

“God, thank You for all that You have given me! I’m so aware of Your blessings and bounty in my life. Let me always be aware of the grace, mercy and favor that You pour onto me and my life daily…”

Contributing Writer:

Tasha Schaded

The Promise Ring Devotional

He video called me while I was on the way home from a small group meeting and when I pulled up to my home, he was standing there as if he had not been in Hawaii just the day before.

We’ve known each other for twelve years. From our early twenties to our early thirties we have fought, cried, smiled and laughed with each other yet had never been in a relationship. Just back and forth and not in a healthy way. However, showing up at my door after three years of being gone, he displayed to me that he has grown, matured and had a true godly look on life, a life with me.

March turns to April and we have become a couple and a ring hits my hand, a promise ring. You know the type: something from James Avery that showcases how your love has grown in your teens that you want to stay pure and something to give your spouse as a token of appreciation and new kindled love. However, we were not always in the space where love could grow nor could our relationship with God. But God changed all that!

When looking at this ring, I see a promise deeper than its meaning. I see God’s promise. One promise I feel we forget is that He restores the years the locusts have eaten.

“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed” (Joel 2:25-27 NIV).

These can be years that the devil wreaked havoc in our family, health or community or it can be years where we were not aware of His love, His grace and that He was waiting for us! In fact, my boyfriend was waiting for me through a different lens. However, God is waiting for us to not see our shame but to see Him; and when we trust Him with our past, He will restore those years.

It has not been simple to put away the past or to get rid of thoughts that maybe I wasted those years, but I do know that love covers a multitude of sins.

He wants us to let His love cover our sins and restore the days to us that we lost. It is ok to know that we have sinned, but we have and will fall short. We can trust, though, that God came to restore us and give us His covering. He will never bring us shame.

As I look at this ring, I am reminded that God is restoring me day by day to be closer to Him!

Memory Verse

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

- 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:

“God, I know that nothing is impossible for You. No sin is too big for the Cross not to be able to redeem. Thank You, Jesus, for dying on the cross, so You could bring restoration to my life…”

Contributing Writer:

Jace Gaston

Death of My Dreams

Many years ago my sister and I were very, very close. Our seven combined children were small, and we planned to be together five or six times a year for holidays and summers. We lived several miles away from each other, so we were adamant about making the time for us all to be together. My sister and I created Easter baskets for our children, held Halloween and birthday parties, and thought up any and every conceivable way for us to see each other.

Our husbands got along well, and our children loved the time with their cousins. More importantly, my sister and I got to be together and love each other as only sisters know how. Then about fifteen years later, divorce profoundly struck my sister and her family. Of course, she and her children were devastated, confused and grieving. It was heartbreaking to watch the children be torn between feelings for their mother and father. They had lost the family stability they were used to.

I had no idea how to handle all of this. I have always had such a longing in my heart to be a part of my nieces’ and nephews’ lives. I would try to take every opportunity to hold them and just sit and listen to them. As the years went by, my sister and I found ourselves being torn further apart by our own family conflicts. After many attempts to keep our relationship together, certain decisions were made that caused us to separate even further.

I grieved over this chasm between us and over our lost kinship. I then went to see a Godly counselor. I explained quite a lot of what had happened between my sister and me, and I described the anguish we had all been through. The counselor told me something I did not want to hear: the decisions that we make in the past lead to devastating consequences that change our relationships and our lives today. This trend started with Adam and Eve and it continues today.

The consequences of the decisions my sister and I have made changed our relationship. Our relationship will never be as it was fifteen years ago. Since the time of this heeded truth, I honestly was feeling sorry for myself for many years. Then I prayed and asked God to help me deal with the loss of that special relationship. God wanted to help me! Imagine that! God is so close to the broken hearted.

He has put together different people in my life, including other family members that I had thought I would never have a healthy relationship with again. God is totally glorious! God is Faithful!

Memory Verse:

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I’m doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a new way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

- Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:

“Father, show me how to let go of the past. Help me to forgive those who have hurt me and to forgive myself for hurting others. Right now I want to stop dwelling on…”

Contributing Writer:

Jeannie De La Garza

My Witness

I helped my twin sister by watching her kids one afternoon. I was busy trying to get some editing done, but my sister’s youngest child, Nathan, who is ten years old, came into my office asking for help. I gave a sigh and got up from my chair. “Sure, but quickly,” I said.

He brought me to the kitchen sink. I was dismayed to find that he had poured hot melted wax from my large candle down the drain. Red residue splattered my sink and filled the drain. I felt anger rise up in me, but I knew he didn’t mean it. He was simply trying to get rid of the excess wax in the jar. I inhaled a deep breath and said, “That’s okay. It’s still warm. I can clean it up before it clogs the drain.” Then, I looked at him seriously. “But make sure you don’t do that again. Dried wax is very hard to clean.”

He nodded his head earnestly.

It took me about 10 minutes, but I got most of the wax cleaned up. Since I was already away from the computer, I decided to exercise before going back to my editing. I changed into my workout clothes and walked to my garage gym. I decided to play a Christian interview instead of listening to music. On this particular show, the host always asks his guests to pray and impart over the audience and listeners the truth of what they explained during the interview.

The particular truth that had been shared during the show was something I was struggling with, so I desperately wanted the impartation. I stopped working out, shut my eyes and raised my hands to receive the blessing. However, I really wished that I had a witness to share what I was receiving. The verse “Where two or more are gathered,” came to mind, and I needed a witness to stand in agreement with me.

“For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20 NLT).

Once the prayer was finished, I heard a noise behind me and looked toward the stationary bike. Nathan had been there the entire time watching me pray. I couldn’t help but smile. I had my witness, and I’m reminded of another valuable verse about those who give mercy will receive it.

I gave my nephew mercy earlier with the wax ordeal; therefore, he felt comfortable enough to come into the gym and workout with me. If I would have let anger get the best of me, he would not have joined me in the gym. Because I was merciful to him, God granted me mercy by giving me a witness when I desperately needed one. Mercy paved the way for me to receive a blessing.

Memory Verse:

“God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

- Matthew 5:7 (NLT)

Prayer Prompt:

“Father, help me to show mercy to others, especially when I feel the right to be angry, upset or hurt. I know that I desperately need mercy in my life, and I want to extend it to others because they are just as imperfect as I am. Lord, illuminate any person in my life from whom I have withheld mercy…”

Contributing Writer:

Alisa Hope Wagner

Stepping Out in Faith

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. One of the first things I wanted to be was an author. But then life got in the way. My plans changed over the years. Writing didn’t seem like a real, viable option, and it got pushed to the side. Years later, writing found a way back into my life by way of a career in editing and reviewing. And God used those to bring me full circle in an unexpected way.

While I dabbled with writing over the years, I still didn’t view it as a real career possibility. One day, I received an email from an editing colleague. She told me about an opportunity to submit a devotion to be considered for publication in a compilation by a large publishing house. At first, the thought intrigued me. Then, my logical side shook its head. I’d never written a devotion in my life, though I’d read them for years. In fact, the thought of writing a devotional book had entered my mind on a few occasions, but I had never pursued it.

Part of me said it was crazy to even consider this opportunity. Yet I felt compelled to throw my name in the hat. I pushed “Send” on the email to say I was interested before I had a chance to change my mind. What sealed the deal for me was reading the proposed name of the compilation—the same title I’d been considering for a devotional book.

I don’t think I ever truly believed I stood a chance, so imagine my surprise when I received an email from the publisher offering me a contract. Now, I had to write ten devotions. That may not seem like much to some people, but it was a bit daunting to someone who had only written one devotion in their life: the one I submitted for consideration.

It’s awesome to see how the Lord works. That one email started me down the path I’d always wanted but had given up on, thinking it could never be a reality for me. Yet God knew the desires of my heart. Of course, this should be no surprise. He placed them there, after all!

Since that time, there have been a string of opportunities for me to write devotions and submit them for publication. Recently, I signed a publishing contract for a devotional journal I have written for women living with chronic pain and illness.

I had been ready to set aside writing. I didn’t know what the outcome would be when I hit “Send” on that email a few years ago. Yet I followed Jesus’s nudge, and I stepped out in faith. He did the rest.

When we listen to the Lord’s calling, we never know where it might lead. But when we trust Him, we receive the tremendous blessings He’s already prepared for us.

Memory Verse:

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

- Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:

“Thank You, Lord, for knowing the desires of my heart even better than I do. Help me to heed Your calling and step out in faith, knowing that You have great plans for me…”

Contributing Writer:

Leslie L. McKee

Couches & Altars

I must admit that there was a season in my life where it was so hectic, that quality time with God became less of a priority in my life. My world was inundated with family responsibilities, church duties, work deadlines and everything in between. In moments when I felt the need to pray, distractions were conveniently waiting to take my attention elsewhere. I started to notice that though my calendar was filled, I was empty.

One Sunday morning at church I silently cried out to God for help. I was frustrated that it felt like my life was out of control. I knew that spending time with God had become less of an act of love and more of another checkmark on my to do list. I was desperate for a reconnection with Jesus. If I’ve learned anything about God in my walk, it’s that He has one good sense of humor.

The very next morning I awoke at exactly 3am. No matter how much I tossed and turned I was unable to find rest. Finally, I got the message loud and clear. My weary bones untangled themselves out of the sheets and when my feet hit the floor, I felt the beckoning call of the Lord to enter my living room.

I took a seat on my couch and began to pour out my heart to the Lord. It was as if He had been sitting patiently waiting for me the entire time. My heart began to break before Him and I experienced His presence in a way I had not felt in a long time.

Several weeks after this initial encounter the Lord set my internal alarm clock at 3 o’clock am sharp to meet with Him exclusively, no conflict in my schedule or pressing deadline could interrupt our time.

My sunken couch: a place of comfort and rest had transformed into an altar. There was no time for sleep or rest, this is a place of sacrifice. Surprisingly, I did not feel groggy throughout the day and I was actually able to accomplish more than I intended. I was no longer relying on my own strength. I began to see my life completely turn around when I made Him priority rather than an option.

No matter how busy life gets we must not forget about our first love… Jesus. In moments when we feel so consumed with the cares of this world, He is sitting right there patiently waiting for you to give Him your burdens. We must trust that he can carry them a lot better than we can.

Memory Verse:

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

- 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:

“Father, when life gets so busy that I feel overwhelmed help me to rely solely on You. Help me to involve You in every area of my life, even my schedule. I know that if I make You a priority that everything will fall in its proper place…”

Contributing Writer:

Marcus Dawson