Paul’s relationship with Christ set his joy, so his circumstances could never change his joy. In fact, the worse the circumstances were, the more he was motivated to deepen his relationship with Christ. Which, through an ever-deepening relationship with Christ, his rest, his peace, and his joy were deepened.   Read More

When I was little, I had a very difficult time controlling my temper. My dad used to tell me I needed to learn how to be “even-keeled” in life and not let my circumstances or other people impact me to the point where it got me into trouble. . . .  Read More

All of God’s love toward us, all of his thoughts toward us, all of his plans for us – all revolve around transforming us more and more into his image.  Read More

You have a Heavenly Father who is the perfect Father. . . If you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior today, then God promises you in his Word that you have been adopted and that you can now call him Abba Father.  Read More

I will be the first person to admit that change terrifies me. It is something I am asking God to help me with. I am afraid of the unknown. I am afraid of having the rug pulled out from under me. I am paralyzed with fear when I think about my life losing any type of stability or predictability. . . .  Read More

What does the "Abundant Life" mean? The key to the original, abundant life was unbroken fellowship with God. . . .  Read More

I’m going to say it: Praying boldly terrifies me. And not because I think God is limited or unwilling. I think mostly I’m afraid of asking for something out of God’s will and setting myself up for failure and disappointment. I would rather not ask and save myself the humiliation of trying to get God to do something he’s just not going to do.  Read More

My life has been very unglamorous. There has been a lot of pain, devastation, and disappointment over the years. There are memories that I look back on and wish I could bottle up, keep in a basement, and never remember again because of the shame and fear and hurt that they hold.  Read More

Did you know that making New Year’s resolutions goes back 3,000 years to the ancient Babylonians? For 3,000 years, people have been saying, “This year, I’m going to stop smoking and lose some weight,” and for 3,000 years, New Year’s resolutions have been failing. . . .   Read More

There have been many prayers in my life that have seemingly gone unanswered. Some prayers I prayed and forgot about. Some prayers made me wonder if God was even listening to me. So today, I want to share with you what I do when my prayers go unanswered.  Read More

The Christmas season is full of expectation and excitement leading up to the big day. . .  Read More

What is hope? As Christians, this might be a familiar term but can often be mistaken for wishful thinking.  Read More

I had a youth pastor who used to tell us that “God is always on the move.” God is aware. God is always present, attentive, and vigilant. There is never a time when he isn’t orchestrating a lesson or a miracle.  Read More

As I was pulling out my laptop to work on today’s devotional, the waitress at the diner I am working from came over to tell me that an older woman had already paid for my breakfast.  Read More

What does this mean? Well, it's not, “This difficulty is my cross to bear.” To the first Disciples, the cross meant only one thing. It was the most humiliating and horrific form of death the Romans could come up with, . . .  Read More

Anger is poison to our mind and body. Not knowing how to let go of anger can disconnect us from love and harden our hearts. It has also been medically proven to raise blood pressure and lead to chronic pain. Most importantly, it puts us out of sync with God’s will.  Read More

It is so important to remember that the holidays are not always a holly, jolly good time. There is often a lot of grief, heartache, and loneliness around Christmas.   Read More

Last night, I watched Hitchcock's Rear Window. In the film, Jimmy Stewart's character is confined to a wheelchair, and he becomes mesmerized by a woman he refers to as "Miss Lonely Heart."  Read More

2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV) “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self- discipline.”  Read More

As we approach Christmas, I am reminded of something that God let me witness last year. As I was walking through a crowded mall, I was ambushed by a little girl in blonde pigtails. She was screaming at the top of her lungs with excitement . . .   Read More

As I sit down to reflect today, my heart feels so heavy. It seems that no matter where I go, I see so much suffering. Homelessness, addiction, crime, deceit . . . where has the goodness gone? . . .  Read More

To this day, the worst gift I’ve ever received was a Furby. A horrid little fuzzy robot with creepy, blinking bug eyes and the most obnoxious voice.  Read More

8-minute devotion with Pastor Dave. Grab your Bible and journal and spend some time Alone With God. God bless you.  Read More

This passage from 1 Peter is a great set of verses on hope in the indestructible inheritance from God - that is Jesus Christ himself.   Read More