Honoring Your Mother-In-Law
“Showing honor to the woman who raised our husband, who nourished him with daily meals, drove him to countless practices and cares so deeply about him, is actually a way to love our husband. If our husband constantly hears us complaining about something his mom did, tension can build in both the marriage and the relationship with his parents. How can we seek to show honor to our mother-in-law, even in the midst of a difficult relationship?” - Honoring the Other Mother In Your Life, by Stacy Reaoch
The Feast of Obedience
“As believers in Christ, we don’t need to chase after the things the world chases, even basic provision (Matt. 6:33). We don’t have to buy into the lie of scarcity when we have an abundant Father. We don’t have to determine our day by the amount of energy in our tanks, for we know that if God is calling us to something, he will give us all we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).” - The Feast of Obedience, by Aimee Joseph
Jesus and Our Words: How Knowing Jesus Transforms Our Speech
“When Christ ascended to heaven, his work on earth continued. Since the day the Spirit was given on Pentecost, Jesus has actively built his Church with the witness—the words—of his followers. As they have proclaimed the gospel and explained the Scriptures, the Church has grown. Even now, Jesus is building his Church as his people speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15-16). But you may wonder, “How is it possible that my words could be useful for the building of the Church? How can my conversations contribute to the body of Christ?”” - Jesus and Our Words: How Knowing Jesus Transforms Our Speech by Cheryl Marshall and Caroline Newheiser
Giving or Grabbing the Glory: Fighting Self-Righteousness by Remembering What God Has Done
“Remember what the Lord has done! As an unbeliever I was as selfish as they come, looking only to my needs and desires. I would calculate how to exert minimal effort for maximum gain in nearly every circumstance. Then Jesus changed it all. So the minute-by-minute giving of my time and energy in motherhood, imperfect as it is, is truly and utterly miraculous. I can delight in laying aside “self-care” for the constant care of my six children knowing that Jesus did that! To God be all the glory.” - Giving or Grabbing the Glory, by Janaye Atkinson
Communion with God Through Ordinary Means
“To communicate his grace to us, God has likewise given us means of grace: the preaching of the Word, the Lord’s Supper, and baptism. When I was growing up, I wanted new and flashy ways to grow in my relationship with God. I wanted a fresh word and a new outpouring in my life. Yet God has chosen something much more ordinary—a preacher with a Bible, bread and wine, and water.” - Communion with God Through Ordinary Means, by Lara d'Entremont
Covenant, Not Contract
“Behind the question “What is God's will and purpose for my life?” is sometimes a subtle selfishness. We often ask the question not as a servant waiting to be sent, but as a master demanding to know. Instead of rejoicing, we get impatient and envious when we watch God raising other people up to do his work. Instead of waiting upon the Lord as our hope in life and death, we wait upon the “great work” we will do to bring meaning and importance to our lives. So, in perpetually crying, “Use me!”, we make our own significance, fulfillment, and legacy the center of our prayers.” - Covenant, Not Contract, by Irene Sun
Follow The One Who Is Trustworthy
"By God’s grace, we can become women who experience the pressure points of confusion and uncertainty yet continue to bless the Lord and those around us with our words and our service. We can grapple with our next steps and seek practical guidance yet remember the Spirit is our true Counselor. We can bear witness to suffering and grieve it sincerely yet remain joyful in God’s promises to be with us now and to restore all things in eternity.” - Follow the One Who is Trustworthy, by Mallory Manning
Single, But Not Alone
"When our churches and friends fail us, when we face temptation, when rejection breaks our hearts, Jesus—himself a single man—identifies with our suffering (Isa. 53:3-4; Heb. 4:14-16). When we feel alone, are tempted towards despair, or look for salvation in something other than Jesus, the Holy Spirit reminds us of what is true (John 15:26-27). And when we question our worth, fear scarcity, cry out in lament, or humbly repent, the Father is ready and waiting to pour out his love and comfort (2 Cor. 1:3; Eph. 3:14-21; 1 John 3:1-3).” - Single, But Not Alone, by Jenilyn Swett
Advent and Remembrance: How Our Traditions Shape Us
“Our God makes very clear in the story of redemption that he is after our hearts and not our empty actions (1 Sam. 16:7, Prov. 21:2). This steady ground gives us breathtaking freedom to examine the why behind the practices and liturgical rhythms of our personal and communal Advent, holding our choices up to Scripture and asking ourselves whether or not these things are good and right and true, and meet our worship goals.” - Advent and Remembrance: How Our Traditions Shape Us, by Holly Mackle
"I Just Can't Go": The Importance of Gathering with the Local Church
"In today's fast-paced world, the thought of joining a church prayer meeting or gathering with brothers and sisters for a Bible study (sometimes even on Sunday morning) can seem overwhelming. It's one more thing on top of our already-hectic day. Speculations swirl through our minds. Darting thoughts remind us of the faults of others—and ourselves. We're tired, and it's easy to make excuses to keep us from assembling with the saints. But amidst these weary, heavy days, our greatest need (apart from Christ himself) is to be among the Lord's people.’” - I Just Can’t Go: The Importance of Gathering with the Local Church, by Katherine Pittman
The Importance of Identity
"‘Who are you and what are you doing here?’ As followers of Jesus, we believe God is the designer of humanity and we are his creations. As such, we also believe he has handmade each of us for good works that he has purposed for us to be and do (Eph. 2:10). God, as our creator, is the only one who is qualified to speak with authority about our identity. If we listen to him, he is answering those two questions for us.” - The Importance of Identity by Matt Lantz
Storytellers and Disciple-Makers: Stewarding Our Creativity for a Watching World
"I cannot always tie a bow of finality on my stories. Most of them are still being lived, still being learned. But whether I write with humor, or with a homesickness that shows all I long for Jesus to make right, I do write with the assurance of my true home in mind. There is not an honest soul on earth who does not in some way resonate with things that make us laugh, or with this distant hum of a feeling that this life cannot be all there is. Our stories may just be the thing God uses to show the world the origin and hope of all of our lives.” - Storytellers and Disciple-Makers: Stewarding Our Creativity for a Watching World, by Katie Blackburn
5 Truths About Your Physical and Spiritual Health
"When it comes to our physical lives and our spiritual lives, we must each choose who we will serve (Joshua 24:14-15). We must each run the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1). We must each set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:1). Let us ask the God who made us to help us commit to both our spiritual and physical well being. These bodies and souls and lives are not our own—they were bought with a price. May we honor and glorify our God who made us, saved us, and strengthens us.” - 5 Truths About Your Physical and Spiritual Health, by Jen Oshman
Fighting Relational Fear by Cultivating Delight
"Our natural bent in relationships is to seek safety by trusting our own wisdom: we fight back, run away, endeavor to please people, judge others, or compete against them. This dark side of self-protection is really a form of fear, and even for those of us who are in Christ, it can still be a visceral response that rules us. So how do we learn to be ruled by something better than our own wisdom?” - Fighting Relational Fear by Cultivating Delight, by Aylin Merck
Three Things Your Pastor’s Wife Wishes You Knew
"You probably know her from afar. Ask anyone from your church and they could point her out to you, that woman your pastor is married to. And you might be curious about her. What does life look like in her family day to day? Is there any way you could get to know her better? As a pastor’s wife for almost 50 years, let me share three insights into what it’s like for her to be married to your pastor--three peeks into her life that could help you build a bridge to her heart.” - Three Things Your Pastor’s Wife Wishes You Knew, by Jani Ortlund
Confess Your Sins—and Sing!
“David, our psalmist, stands before a great Judge in Psalm 32. But he does so to argue his guilt—not his innocence. David admits his sins and instead of a conviction, this Judge grants forgiveness and full pardon. What kind of Judge is this? What criminal justice system on earth acquits a confessing offender? How should we understand this passage? How does Psalm 32 encourage a Christian to make bold confessions of sin before the holy Judge of heaven?” - Confess Your Sins–And Sing! by Nana Dolce
Serving the Lord With Gladness
“To this day, I still struggle to feel glad about the work God establishes for me. Sure, I may serve him outwardly, but my heart often feels rascally, sulky, and angry. Does God really expect me to feel glad about the interruptions, messes, and do-overs that derail me from day to day? Yet in those moments, it’s helpful for me to remember that the entirety of Psalm 100:2 points to the spark that will ignite gladness in our hearts.” - Serving the Lord with Gladness by Laura Booz
Snuggled Up Tight in Providence
“I’ve crawled up under the literal blanket called providence a whole bunch of times, and I’ve hidden under the wing called Providence more times than I can count, and certainly more times than I know. When it looks like a physical, emotional, or spiritual case for Doc McStuffins’ Big Book of Boo Boos, I hope to remember the quilt called providence, and maybe tuck myself or my loved one up in it.” - Snuggled Up Tight In Providence by Holly Mackle
The Fruit of Cultivating a Heart of Thankfulness
“Sometimes trials lay heavy on our shoulders, curving us inward and making it difficult to look up. Thankfulness can feel impossible when suffering closes in. When those times come, and come they will, maybe what we need most is to be reminded of what God has done and is doing. Yet, many of us also struggle to be thankful when our life is going smoothly. Instead, we might be anxious about what’s to come or maybe we’re busy living in a facade of self-sufficiency. Regardless of the season we face today, we can begin to cultivate a heart of thankfulness.” - The Fruit of Cultivating a Heart of Thankfulness by Brittany Allen