Christian Devotions

It's Raining - On the Inside! - Cokiesha Robinson

2010-04-22T00:00:00.001-04:00

"Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." 1Peter 5:7

Not long ago, I came home from a busy workday. As soon as I opened the front door, I heard a thunderous sound of water. Exhausted and startled, I dropped my purse. Where was the water sound coming from? I knew I hadn�t left the shower on and I prayed the water pump hadn�t burst. What could that noise be? I walked from room to room searching for the culprit.

Then, water dripped on my head and face. I felt it every time I walked into the living room, down the hallway and into our home office. I soon discovered the sound increased when I walked into the closet in our guest room. To my amazement, water from a neighbor�s condominium upstairs poured into ours on the first floor. I couldn�t stop it! It looked like an indoor waterfall. The more I mopped, the more the water rained down. Water was everywhere. I pulled out every trash can and bucket that we had and placed them throughout the house. I even called my husband who was traveling, as if he could help.

It seemed never ending and I just wanted the problem to go away. Who has ever heard of it raining on the inside? Every drop of water that fell onto our pictures, books, clothes and carpet, represented little drops of trouble.

Do you ever feel that way? Have you ever had a long day only to get home and be confronted with problems? Do you ever feel as though the inside of your life has rain pouring in?

Later in the week, everything dried and we had little damage. What once seemed overwhelming and hopeless was not so bad after all. Who knows why some things happen? The blessing is that God doesn�t allow us to walk alone. In the middle of life�s storms, when the rain pelts us relentlessly, remember Jesus� command to the storm��Peace, be still!�

Cokiesha B. Robinson is a graduate of Fisk University where she earned a B.A. degree, and a graduate of Samford University, where she obtained a M.Div. degree. She worked in the field of radio before becoming involved in full-time ministry work. She has served as a missionary to a number of countries and her greatest passions are encouraging others through oral and written expressions. She has contributed to 3 books, one of which she co-authored: Farther In and Deeper Down, This is My Story, and Planting Trust, Knowing Peace, She is a native Texan and currently resides in Yonkers, NY with her husband, Tim. Read Cokeisha's devotions.

Strengthen Yourself in the Lord - Dawn King

2010-04-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

"But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God." 1 Samuel 30:6b

It was the last straw! I just wanted to lie on the floor in a puddle of despair and hope that Jesus would come soon. On top of fighting with my insurance company for over a year after my fire and losing my job, now the window air conditioning units we had stored in the shed did not fit in the windows of our newly rebuilt house. With our finances in disarray from the trials of the past year, I knew we could not buy new ones and I was worried how I�d survive the summer without air conditioning. My asthma does not handle the heat well.

David also felt like this. Arriving back home after being kicked out of the Philistines� camp where he hid while Saul persued him, David finds that his entire city has been taken captive--including his wives and children. But, instead of allowing his grief to overwhelm him, David strengthens himself in the Lord. How? Maybe he remembered his epic battle with Goliath and how God guided the rock from his sling to the center of Goliath�s forehead.

When I�m feeling down, frustrated and like I can�t take it anymore, God reminds me to come up and trust Him. I have to. There is no earthly thing I can do right now to make my situation better. Nothing.

Instead of collapsing in a puddle of despair, I�ve been reminding myself of the times God has come through for me. We�ve received cash in the mail from an address in England during a long period of unemployment, miraculous provision of food, clothing, and shelter, and favor with those in authority to get our house rebuilt quickly. Remembering past times of trials and how God has solved the problem without my help, gives me hope for the future.

How about you? Have you listed the times that God has rescued you? Remind yourself of these times when you are facing impossible odds and overwhelming trials to strengthen yourself in the Lord.

Dawn King is freelance writer and a mom of seven. She is active in her local church and enjoys praying, reading, writing, and cooking. Her heart is to bring glory to the Lord and draw people to Him through His work in her life. Dawn is currently working on a Biblical historical novel. Read Dawn's devotions.

Ten Dollars - Scott McCausey

2010-04-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

"Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:4

She knew the 10% rule but her heart was bigger than �the rule.� This time my eight-year-old taught me. As parents, we are commissioned to teach our kids the skill of saving money. We�ve tried everything from the envelope method and chore charts, to our current method of earning a salary. Our goal is to encourage giving God our first fruits, saving for the future and allocating fun money to spend on a prize. It�s our job to keep our eyes open during this process�to watch for the lessons to be learned. I thought it had worked well and it did. I just wasn�t expecting the teacher to be taught.

My youngest daughter, Rebekah, had saved a fair amount of her birthday and commission money. While most of our kids saved toward a video game, a plastic sword or a CD, Rebekah refrained from any shopping sprees. One Sunday morning, I found out why.

I took my spot on the front pew to serve the congregation. After a short meditation, I helped pass the offering plate. When I reached the chaotic pew my family occupied, I handed the plate to my oldest, who promptly shuffled it toward his mom. Rebekah gingerly took the plate from her mom, then without hesitation, casually tossed in a ten-dollar bill and shoved it to her sister. In an instant, my daughter had not given a portion, she gave everything and, although I wasn�t mad, I wanted to take her ten-spot out of the plate and give it back. My nearsighted view of giving was about to be reformed.

When the services were over, I pulled Rebekah close to me. �That was a very generous thing you did, slam dunking God your whole $10. You realize God doesn�t expect you to give every cent, right?� That�s when she floored me.

�I know about the ten percent rule. But my heart didn�t want to give ten percent. It wanted to give all of it. He needs it more than I do today.� She poked my arm and headed toward the car.

That day, the teacher became the student. I learned from my daughter�s example. I realized I�d spent so much time on the semantics of giving that I�d forgotten the heart of it. In my efforts to be a good parent and teach Godly methods, I myself had missed the point and it took an eight-year-old to drive that home. The gift of generosity comes from the heart. We shouldn�t give just because we have a big bank account or out of obligation, but because we want to serve Christ by giving him our best. I guarantee He stands ready to pour abundance over your obedience. Let Him take control of your finances and lead the way. Trust.

Scott McCausey lives smack dab in the middle of the Michigan mitten. He has been married to Renee for eighteen years where they home educate their five children. He has worked as a laboratory manager for over twenty years and enjoys his new role as host of the famous blog talk radio show Christian Devotions Speak UP! Read Scott's devotions.

Named - Susan Lyttek

2010-04-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

"Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name." Genesis 2:19

Kids instantly understand the importance of a name. When my son Erik was between 1 and 2, his favorite question was �Dat?� He needed to know its name in order to understand it. Karl, at that stage, also wanted the names. He pointed and said �Isee?� to every curiosity.

To this day, the boys are disappointed when I can�t name something. I have not studied entomology so, often, the tiny creatures they find perplex me. If I can�t identify the critter, they persist until they find out. The name is important. The name is what it is and what it will be.

When God renamed Abram, the Lord reminded the patriarch that He knew not only the man by name, but his purpose. At the moment, the name seemed inappropriate, like calling a duck-billed platypus a teddy bear. Could Abram, a man who had one son through his wife�s maid, be a father of a multitude of nations? Could Abram, who was already 99, be the father of a promised child?

The idea was so ridiculous to the renamed Sarai that she laughed�giving the baby to come his name. Isaac, meaning laughter, would be the child of promise.

When God calls us as His children, He puts His name upon us. We may not feel like Christians or even look like Christians to our friends, family and neighbors. They may laugh at our new name. �You? Impossible. That new name doesn�t mean a thing.� But it does because the Author of time named you.

The name is the promise.

Prayer: Father God, help us remember that You named us when You called us. You see us as we are meant to be and name us through the grace of Your Son.

Susan Lyttek writes early in the morning from the D.C. suburbs before the day calls her to homeschool her two boys, coach writing online, and attempt to minimize household chaos. She has sold everything from plays to interviews to short stories and greeting cards.
Read Susan's devotions.

Broken Dreams - Sue Payne

2010-04-18T00:00:00.001-04:00

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4:7

The pieces were scattered everywhere. Confused and hurt, I scrambled to gather them up before one of them was lost. As I picked up each treasured fragment, memories of lessons taught and shared, plans anticipated, and hopes only a mother would dream, assaulted my heart. How could I ever get it together again? Was it beyond repair? Would it ever be the same? I comforted myself thinking, at least I still had all the pieces.

A wise mother once told me that when your children are young they�ll step on your feet. When they�re older, they�ll step on your heart, but only if you let them. I had not been prepared for the events that unfolded in my son�s life, so contrary they were to his character and to how he had been brought up in the Lord. My heart shattered.

Surely God would see what was happening and intervene, I thought. He would hear the cries of my heart and the midnight prayers. He would comfort me in the sleepless hours when fear overtook my thoughts.

Nothing changed. In fact, it continued to get worse.

After weeks of fighting this emotional stress, weary and defeated I told God that I just could not continue on in this way. It was not long before God�s Spirit whispered, �Your heart may be fragile and broken, but my power within you is greatest when you are weak.�

I treasure my son, but in my weakness of mourning his decisions, I had forgotten the ever present treasure of God�s grace and power in my life.

Although things remain the same in my son�s life, I have chosen to change. I believe that God�s perfect plan is unfolding even though I cannot clearly see it. I receive, daily, the precious gifts God has given me in this fragile jar of clay I call my heart and point to Him when others ask me the reason for my joy and strength. I hold on, in faith, to the broken pieces because within them lies my hope; Jesus, the Ultimate Treasure.

Sue Payne is a freelance writer whose articles have appeared in home schooling newsletters and church news bulletins. She is experienced in curriculum planning and design and uses her writing skills to encourage and teach others. Sue lives in Delaware, is married, and has two boys whom she home schooled for a total of fourteen years.
Read Sue's devotions.

How Much Do I Have? - Jo Huddleston

2010-04-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Matthew 22:37, NIV

Nothing else in the house moved as I stumbled up the hall. I stood half asleep at my kitchen sink. Looking through half-closed blinds, I discovered what had interrupted my pre-dawn sleep. On the deck, several pesky blue jays perched atop my patio table, ready to welcome a new day. Aggravated at them for disturbing me, I pecked impatiently on a window pane. With much fluttering, the birds scattered to nearby trees�all but one.

The lone bird pranced around the table top, tilting his head this way and that, beady black eyes searching for his would-be attacker. I raised the miniblind and pecked fiercely on the glass again. There! He looked my way�he�d found me. He stared at me; I glared at him. Appearing to know my threatening noises couldn�t harm him, he didn�t budge. Then the concert began, his music as crisp and crystal clear as the day�s spring morning. Each warble imitated his previous one.

Each time he chirped, the little bird quivered from the black collar across his throat to the trembling tip of his brilliant blue tail feathers. Every inch of the bird moved to produce his melody. This little bird put all his body behind each note�he gave it all he had. I forgot the blue jay�s peskiness, enjoying instead, my private recital.

Watching from my quiet kitchen, I thought about the tremendous effort the little bird displayed. He certainly didn�t go about his singing in a halfhearted way. I wondered if Christians could measure up to the blue jay. Are we as committed in our efforts of praise and worship? Then I pondered, �How much have I given? Have much do I have?�

It makes no difference how much we have. Jesus demands our all when we accept Him as our Savior and Lord. All we have. We must give all we have, in loving and serving God. Whether in our jobs, raising our children, church work or leisure time, God demands from Christians a 100 percent effort. Like the little blue jay on my deck with only one song to sing, we must give it all we�ve got.

How much have you given? How much do you have?

Jo Huddleston is the author of four nonfiction books and the co-author of an E-book on writing for the Christian marketplace. Her more than 200 devotions, articles and stories have appeared in over fifty publications, including Guideposts and Decision.
Read Jo's devotions.

You may visit with Jo at http://www.johuddleston.com/.
Read Jo's devotions.

Simple Steps - He Said

2010-04-16T00:01:00.002-04:00

"Naaman's servants went to him and said, 'My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed.' So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy." 2 Kings 5:13-14

Listen to Simple Steps

Often, the simple steps are the hardest to take. Stepping aside to let another take your place. Walking away from a fight. Saying, "I'm sorry."

I'm allergic to apologies. Can't hardly give one without shaking all over. Makes my cheeks go flush, my voice quiver. I'd rather have a tooth filled than say, "I'm sorry."

I hate to lose. Drives me crazy to back off and let someone else have their way. Especially when I know I'm right. Takes both hands over my mouth to keep me from getting in the first and last words, plus the ones in between.

And don't even think about cutting in on me. I can ride the rear of the car in front so close that, to the cars in the other lane, it looks like I'm bump-drafting.

You see, I suffer from leprosy of the soul. Naaman suffered from leprosy of the skin but, as is often the case in Scripture, his condition pointed to a spiritual affliction, too.

Leprosy begins when the bacteria, Mycobacterium leprae, multiplies. Muscles become weak, especially in the hands, feet and eyes. As the skin hardens, the victim loses feeling in his fingers and toes. He becomes blind. Severe pain grips his body. There is no cure.

Leprosy of the soul begins with one misstep away from God. Like the bacteria, it spreads throughout our lives, weakening our resolve to do what is right. We become numb to its effects, blind to the hurt we cause others and hardened to the consequences of our actions. There is no cure�save one.

Naaman sought to spend his way to a healing, but God's man refused his money. Naaman thought his position would curry favor, but God's man turned him away. Naaman thought some grand and great effort would save him, but God's man offered a simple solution. "Go wash in the river Jordan and you will be cleansed."

The cure for our leprosy is similar. Repent, and be cleansed in the name of Jesus Christ. Sometimes, the simple steps can make all the difference in the world� and, the world to come.

Say Yes - She Said

2010-04-16T00:00:00.001-04:00

�Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!" 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.� 2 Kings 5:13-14

Listen to Say Yes - She Said

�How hard could it be? Just do what you�re told?� I stood watching as the coach scolded his batter.

�Raise your elbows, don�t rest the bat on your shoulder, bend your knees and step into the swing.�

�But that�s uncomfortable. It�s awkward.� The girl belted back. �My way is better. I can get under the ball.�

The ump called Play ball!� Stepping to the plate she glanced over her shoulder then shrugged off her coach�s advice. Her bat rested against her shoulder and she stood straight and rigid. The pitcher wound the throw and released�it sailed past her, chest level.

�Striiikke!�

�Tracy! The bases are loaded. Do what I ask.�

Again, she glanced over her shoulder and ignored the coach. The pitcher drew back and fired a second shot, dead center of the strike zone.

�Time out!� The coach shouted. Pulling Tracy to the side he brushed his hand under his cap then snugged it tight on his head.

�Do you need Chipper Jones giving you good advice or can you just take heed? The bases are loaded. You�re looking at RBI�s and a win. Your hit could win this tournament. Don�t be foolish.�
Naaman was a cocky, too. He�d been given a cure for his leprosy and all he had to do was dip in the Jordan River. But his pride got in the way. He grumbled and complained with a cure at hand because he didn�t get the fanfare and attention of a public healing. Dipping in the muddy waters of the Jordan wasn�t good enough and it took his servants calling his hand before he realized the gift he�d been given.

We�re good at letting pride cloud our view. We ask God for help, He provides solutions. Instead of accepting the gift in its simplicity, we insist we know a better way. The answer we�re given couldn�t possibly be right. That�s us. Know-it-all�s�sadly, we�re usually wrong. Somehow we never seem to learn, God�s way is the right way.

Tracy stepped into the batter�s box. Swinging the bat several strokes she stepped away. She rested the bat on her shoulder, eyed her teammates inching from the bases, then took her stance. She bent her knees, raised her elbows and stepped into the swing. The ball cracked against the bat then rose just above the reach of the outfielder then flew over the fence.

God loves caring for us, providing our needs. He simply asks for us to obey. When you ask for an answer and God provides�say yes. His way is the right way and your reward will be great.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us. They co-write the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio's Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Scott McCausey.

And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust - A Journey to Financial Dependence.

Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-4-6
Price: $9.95

Prone to Wander - Colleen Luntzel

2010-04-15T00:00:00.003-04:00

"All we like sheep have gone astray, and turned each one to his own way; and The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6

When I was little, the kids in my family had 4-H projects. My brothers kept cattle, my older sister showed horses and my little sisters and I kept sheep. We were responsible for our animals for everything�feeding, watering, grooming, vet-ing, safety and training.

You learn a lot about animals when they�re dependent upon you: what they eat, how to shelter them, what their habits are, the characteristics of the breed and their vulnerabilities. You might think sheep would be easy to care for, but they�re not. They�re stubborn, they�re driven by fear and hunger, and they�re dumb.

Heads down, grazing in a slightly frantic fashion, they often stray�their insatiable appetites driving them to search for something more. Easily frightened, they scatter and flee with no thought about where they�re headed. They just run� blindly crashing into fences� falling into ditches. They�re prone to wander.

You can�t really teach the average sheep to do anything. They�re stubborn. Sheep need to be cared for. They need a shepherd.

The Bible compares God's people with sheep. Personally, I don�t think sheep are the most complimentary thing to be compared to. But the truth is, like sheep, people are stubborn, driven by fear and hunger, and, oh yeah, dumb. We need to be cared for. We need a shepherd�one who understands our weaknesses, our needs, our character.

King David (who kept sheep himself) talked about a shepherd in Psalm 23. Jesus. As Christians, we�re His flock�with all of the needs and vulnerabilities of sheep. But He knows what we require and how to keep us, which is saying something because sheep are not all fluff and softness, springtime and daffodils. Sheep are trouble!

Yet, He loves us�in spite of us. Because of love, He who cast a glance across infinity and created all things out of nothing, somehow forced His unimaginable greatness into mere flesh and blood, and became a shepherd�because His sheep had strayed and were lost and needed finding�because we were stubborn and needed saving. Then, the Creator of the universe, The Good Shepherd, took it a step further, and became a lamb.

Trust the Good Shepherd to take care of you.

Married to a career military man, Colleen raised five children while pulling up stakes and moving her family throughout the U.S. and overseas eighteen times, serving alongside her husband in the diplomatic corps at U.S. Embassies in South Asia and Northern Europe. Life didn�t go exactly as she�d planned but she's had more adventures than any one person should be allowed. God�s plans are not always our plans and He specializes in adventures, using every second of them for His purposes.

Currently, Colleen resides in the mountains of Western NC where she practices interior design, blogs and writes Bible Studies, devotionals, children�s literature and articles on design and beautiful living.

Read Colleen's devotions.

Morning Kiss - Jody Day

2010-04-14T19:17:00.004-04:00

The light has a golden tint
On our morning walls,
A kiss on our day
From the Father.

The night's respite short,
The day ahead long
But in this moment
The Father is here.

He is always here,
Yet in this quiet
We are still and we know
He is God.

Ah, the gold has turned to white.
The day is calling,
It's time to get up
And walk with Him.

Jody Day is a minister�s wife, home school mother of 6, musician, writer and children�s librarian. She has been writing since 5th grade when her first poem was selected to be put on the bulletin board in the hall at school. Her poems have appeared in Mature Living and Eveydaypoets.com.

Making Right Choices - Phoebe Leggett

2010-04-14T00:00:00.001-04:00

"See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction... Now choose life, so that you and your children may live." Deuteronomy 30: 15, 19 NIV

It�s God�s desire that we make right choices in life, yet He gives us the exclusive privilege of making our own decisions and choices. It�s up to us to make the right ones. Often we get so scooped up in the busyness of life that our judgment becomes clouded. Making good choices gets tough and it requires us to take the time to ponder our options and not hurry through life without realizing our choices will determine our future.

Just as a parent�s heart breaks because their child makes wrong choices in life. God�s heart breaks when we make wrong choices. Still, He is merciful to forgive and help if we ask. Sometimes the right choice comes too late and we have to suffer the consequences of our actions.

God suffers too, when we make wrong choices. He loves us�so much that He sent His son to die that we might have abundant life. And still, we fail to turn to Him for guidance in our life�s decisions.

Yesterday I saw a car wreck being cleaned up on the side of the road. The highway was blocked and medics and police swarmed to help. It reminded me of the day my son lost his life in a car crash. It broke my heart again to see this scene. How much more does God�s heart break?

Sometimes our choices bring death. It isn�t God�s choice that we die, but that we live.

Trust God to help you make right choices. If wrong choices are made, He is willing to forgive if we ask.

Lean on Him when you face major decisions, even when the choices are small. Only He can make things right again.

Phoebe Leggett was the recipient of two poetry awards from the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer�s Conference in 2007. Many of her poems, articles, and short stories have appeared in various magazines and Christian literature; and she is currently working on a book about grief. She is married with two grown children and one grandchild. Her youngest son was killed in a tragic accident in 2004. Learn more about Phoebe at http://www.phoebeleggett.com/.
Read Phoebe's devotions.

Leaving the Comfort Zone - Robyn Burke

2010-04-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

"The Lord said to Abram, �Leave your native country� and your family� go to the land that I will show you� I will bless you � and you will be a blessing to others.� Genesis 12:1, 2 NLT

Why would God ask Abram to travel into unknown territory? Why couldn�t God just bless him where he was?

My husband�s compensation for work with a non-profit organization depends on the generosity of others. While Bruce felt called to the position, it did require a certain amount of faith. Could we trust God to provide for our needs?

Each month has been a test. God has provided, but it didn�t stop us from questioning why we couldn�t be blessed with a steady paycheck. Why did we have to do a juggling act with the bills every month?

Scratching my head over the latest batch of bills, I thought about my husband. He works hard; he deserves to be fairly compensated. Overwhelmed, I felt tears rise as doubt bubbled to the surface. The night before, we�d met with our small group and shared our prayer concerns. My fears spilled out in an angry vent. Our friends gathered close and bolstered us with prayer.

I filled Bruce in on our current situation. �We�re four hundred short of paying all the bills.�

�Four hundred is how much shop rent is.� Bruce mused. We�d been renting shop space for several years and had just this month made the decision to let it go.

�Next month we won�t have that expense, but there�s no way I can extract that amount from this month�s paycheck.� I sighed.

At dinner, Bruce pulled an envelope from his coat pocket. �Eric gave me this today.�
I wondered what our neighbor was up to�inside, one hundred dollars.

Bruce shrugged. �Said he just felt we needed this.�

The next day, a friend stopped by with a check. �For letting me store stuff in your shop.� he explained.

Three hundred dollars and we now had enough to pay shop rent.

Abram was called out of the comfort zone of his life into the unknown. Why didn�t God just bless him where he was? Leaving our comfort zone forces us to trust completely in God, not ourselves. And He never disappoints.

Leave your comfort zone for a life of trust. God will not fail you.

A published author at the age of 13, Robyn Burke knew early on that God had gifted her with a love for writing. From crafting church bulletins and newsletters to obsessing over power point presentations, Robyn eventually returned to her first love: short stories. A regular contributor to Faithwriters.com, she also is a NaNoWriMo 2009 winner. Blissfully married, with grown children and grandkids, Robyn hopes that her writing can be used by God to bless others. Read Robyn's devotions.

Trust - Barbara "Annie" Beyer

2010-04-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

"Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not unto your own
Understanding and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5

The night was damp and chilly. My tears seemed synchronized with the rain washing over my car as I sat in the hospital parking lot. I cried from my soul as I listened to the stanza of an old hymn. �Must Jesus bear the Cross alone and all the world go free? No there�s a cross for everyone; and there�s a cross for me.�

The doctor had called me in for a consultation regarding an EEG done on our seventeen-year-old daughter. We hoped for an explanation as to why she was experiencing headaches and black outs. I couldn�t get away from the message in the song. Each time I wanted to exit my vehicle, I couldn�t.

Ten years had passed since I divorced. It hadn�t been easy. Karen was just one of my five children and each time there was a problem, I was forced to face it alone. Tired, run down and feeling sorry for myself, the song spoke to my heart. Jesus had provided comfort�could he trust me to do the same?

�What is my cross? What is my part?� I cried.

�Trust me! Trust in the Cross and all it represents.�

�Karen�s EEG showed irregular brain waves. She has epilepsy. We�ll start her on a regimen of anti-seizure medication and see how it works,� the doctor advised.

Well-meaning friends shared stories of their children starting these medications. The result was a life-long dependency.

Much to my surprise, I said �no, I don�t want her to take that medicine. God will heal her.�

Once discharged, Karen had a follow-up with the doctor in two weeks. After her examination, I stood by the counter waiting to pay. Karen�s chart sat open on the desk in front of me. I lifted the page and read � �EEG normal range.�

�Hmm!� Normal and yet they prescribed this powerful medication?� I stuck to my guns. No harsh meds.

Within a couple of weeks the symptoms were gone.

God wanted me to trust. He knew she didn�t need a brain-altering drug. He knew that �this too would pass,� but could I trust him?

God never puts more on us than we can bear without offering a way of escape. He allowed this trial to groom our faith. His mercy was mighty when He answered. The fire of hardship is hot but when the smoke clears, our faith brings us through.

What trial do you face? Step into the flames and trust. He won�t let you burn.

Barbara �Annie� Beyer was born and raised in the �Motor City� where life happened at a very fast pace. Five years ago she and her husband moved to Florida. Barbara is the mother of five wonderful children and ten grandchildren. Tucked away in her secret place of expression are her paintings of home and family. Her work includes nearly one hundred songs she has composed, along with inspirational poems. Her desire is to be used by God to encourage and edify others no matter what the task.
Read Barbara's devotions.

End to Enders - Kevin Spencer

2010-04-11T00:00:00.000-04:00

"�and you will hear a voice say, �This is the way, turn around and walk here.�" Isaiah 30:21

Hanging on the wall in my office (okay it�s not so much an office as a corner of the living room), we have a framed document proclaiming that my dear wife Charlotte and I are official �End to Enders.� Part of a promotional campaign for the Blue Ridge Parkway, the document is �awarded� to anyone who has traveled the entire length of the Parkway.

From almost as long as I have memory, my family has traveled and camped on the Parkway. When I was a boy, it was a road of mystery. There might be waterfalls, amazing vistas, ancient log cabins, or deer, and maybe even a bear around every bend. The Parkway is host to a lifetime of memories, from camping to picnicking to racing my little brother, David, up Mt. Pisgah. (He won, the speedy little scoundrel.)

From a host of mountain tops up and down the length of the Parkway, you can look down and see miles of the ribbon of concrete as it winds along the ridge tops below. As a boy, I imagined this must be how God sees us, gazing down on us from some remote spot high above, occasionally brushing aside a cloud to get a better view.

As I�ve grown older, though, I�ve discovered that my youthful analogy has held up. No, I don�t think of God peering down through the clouds anymore, although He might, but rather that He lives in me and with me. But what is comforting, like my boyhood image of God looking down on the Parkway, is that God can see all the twists and turns of my life from beginning to end. God can see what I can�t.

He can see what lies around the bends in the road. He can see what joys and dangers are hidden from me by the curves of life�s road. He provides for me what He knows I�ll need. He teaches me lessons that will serve me up the road, in some future situation I can�t even imagine now, because He knows where my life�s road is going. I take comfort in that�when I remember it. Unfortunately sometimes He has to remind me that He is in control, that He knows the road ahead far better than I do.

When the curves in your life�s road seem to be too sharp to handle, remember that He knows what lies around the corner. From birth to death, God has an �End to Ender� certificate for each of our lives. Trust in Him.

Kevin Spencer lives in Tennessee with his beautiful wife Charlotte and grandson Caleb. A former prodigal son, Kevin is now trying to use the gifts God gave him, and by the grace of God has a life far better than he ever deserved. Read Kevin's devotions.

Sweet Tater Pie - Judy Howard

2010-04-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

"Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all..." Galatians 6:7, 9-10 NKJV

Last spring I planted a rotten sweet potato under my crepe myrtle tree to see if I could grow one of those pretty vines for ground cover. Sure enough, it grew so lavishly a lush vine quickly covered the bare soil and threatened to take over the whole back yard.

In October, I chopped down the vigorous vine and, to my shock, discovered nine fat sweet potatoes. I was so excited. �Thank you Lord for this bountiful harvest,� I shouted as I clapped my hands. I gathered my precious bounty, knocking the dirt off, and hurried inside to weigh my crop. Eight pounds. Wow!

Being a vegetarian, there�s nothing I love more than sweet potatoes, whether baked and served steaming, or cold in Thanksgiving pies. I can get very creative with this yummy tuber. I quickly scrubbed, peeled, sliced and boiled the potatoes. Then I pureed them in my food processor, adding cinnamon, Stevia sweetener, mangos and walnuts to make the best and freshest Sweet Tater Pie, fit for a king.

I discovered first hand that we really do reap what we sow�later than we sow and definitely greater than we sow. God taught me a valuable lesson. If I desire friends and love, I must invest my life in others and my efforts will be rewarded many times over, not only in the near future but for eternity. I must plant seeds now, dying to self, pouring out my life in service to others just as Jesus sacrificed His life for me, then wait for the harvest and time of rejoicing and celebration.
Plant your �taters,� then harvest the bounty.

Since 1976, Judy Howard has owned and operated Buckboard Antiques and Quilts in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Her love of quilts developed while taking a class from nationally renowned fiber artist Terrie Mangat. Judy became a charter member of the Oklahoma Quilt Guild, and antique quilts became her specialty. Her stories of quilting through the depression have been Awarded First Place by the regional Oklahoma Writers Federation Inc. Visit her at http://www.heavenlypatchwork.com//.
Read Judy's devo

Too Good To Be True - He Said

2010-04-09T00:01:00.005-04:00

"Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house. Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed. But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?" So he turned and went off in a rage." - 2 Kings 5:8-10 (NIV)

Listen to Too Good To Be True

In the spring of 1997 the phone rang just as we sat down to dinner. The fast-talking man with a Yankee accent said he was with a job placement agency. "Can you be at IBM's main facility tomorrow morning? They need a web-developer."

I hung up thinking, "Is this guy kidding? Why would a company like IBM want to hire a guy like me? I can't even spell HTML, much less code it."

I arrived at the appointment certain that the job interview was a scam-that this yahoo from New York was just trying to extort a placement fee from me. The man I was supposed to meet arrived late and stayed on the phone for most of the interview. Finally he gave me a sheet of HTML code and asked me what a few of the tags meant. "Table, row, hyperlink," I answered, picking out the three I knew.

"Thanks for coming in," he said, ushering me to the door.

I left the interview discouraged. I sensed I'd been added to the list in order to demonstrate that the company was willing to interview outside candidates and that the job had already been promised to another employee within the company.

Naaman left his interview in a rage. He'd arrived with horses, chariots and high expectations, but God's man sent a low-level subordinate to dismiss Naaman. Elisha's message to Naaman was clear. "You stink and your attitude stinks. Now go wash yourself."

Too often we think our wealth, knowledge and position will open doors, but God works on a different realm of influence. He seeks those who are obedient in small matters and who'll remain faithful even when the repetition of the daily tasks seems, well� stupid.

Seven days after that job interview I resigned my position as a toilet paper salesman and went to work for IBM. Turns out God was so committed to finding me gainful employment that he created the world wide web just so I'd have a job.

The solution to our problems is simple, really. It's Christ. We want to add to the formula by boasting of our pedigree, good works and knowledge, but God says, "You're filthy. Your sins are an affront to me. Go wash yourself in the river and be baptized in the name of my Son."

Sometimes, when the solution seems too good to be true, it's God.

Don't Get Mad, Get Glad - She Said

2010-04-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

�Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house. Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed. But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?" So he turned and went off in a rage." 2 Kings 5:8-10 (NIV)

Listen to Don't Get Mad - Get Glad

�She stepped onto the porch and gazed at the furniture. Memories, she thought. So many memories.�

I�d worked hard. Couldn�t he see that? My friend believed in my writing skill. He believed in it before he really knew me and when he offered to mentor me, I was thrilled.

I thought he�d be pleased with the chapter I�d written. But he wasn�t. Instead, he came back at me with an odd suggestion. �Here�s a photo. Describe it and send it back.�

That�s it, I thought. Describe a photo. What about the chapter? I�d described it well, or I thought I had.

�Just describe the photo. What do you see in the picture?� He said.

I tossed my rabbit slipper across the room. I thought he�d give me some real direction. Show me how to craft the words. Give me an instant fix. But he didn�t. Instead of doing what he asked, I got mad.

Elisha gave Naaman a simple solution for his leprosy. Go to the Jordan and wash seven times. It wasn�t hard. In fact, it was such a simple request, that Elisha sent his messenger to share the instructions. Naaman got mad and felt insulted. Why seven times instead of once? Why not the rivers of his hometown instead of this muddy trough? Who was this man of God who wouldn�t even take the time to speak?

Like Naaman, I couldn�t get past my own pride either�couldn�t see what my friend was trying to teach me. Some explanation might have helped me understand his simplistic request, but there was none. I could see and describe or sulk and stay mad.

Jesus walked the city streets giving simple instruction. His teachings were for those who wanted to be healed, made whole and helped. He offered simple commands for complicated lives. Commands like, forgive, love, help others before you help yourself.

When you come to the Father with a request and His answer is simple, don�t get mad. Be glad. Do what He asks. His wisdom is right and true. Accept His instruction, apply it and watch the changes occur.

�She walked onto the porch, the sun streaked across the planked floor. A nail raised above the slat next to the wicker rocker. She remembered catching the toe of her sock and tearing it. Hawk never fixed it. Melon green paint peeled in chunks from the old wood rocker and his book and glasses lay in the same spot on the rattan end table, exactly where they were fourteen months earlier. The braided rug remained crumpled against the screening around the porch. She sighed. Memories. So many memories.�

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us. They co-write the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio's Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Scott McCausey.

And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust - A Journey to Financial Dependence.

Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-4-6
Price: $9.95

Roar - Angie Reedy

2010-04-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

"In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears." Psalm 18:6 NIV

�If you get lost, roar!�

After vowing never again to let go of his three-year-old hand, I advised my son of our new plan. Adrenaline slowed its mad rush and the words, �You don�t know where your son is.� stopped repeating in my mind.

Moments earlier, other shoppers watched me rushing around racks of clothes, peering underneath every one, hoping to spot skinny scraped legs with dinosaur socks and Velcro shoes. I couldn�t find him. Each place I checked turned up empty. I feared the worst as seconds ticked by during those minutes that felt like years.

And then I heard it. Either a Tyrannosaurus Rex lived in the department store, or my son spotted something scary and reacted with his typical dinosaur roar.

It didn�t matter�he was near. Relief poured over me when I heard those familiar roars. Not much farther and I would sweep him in a hug and love him, but scold him and squeeze him and clasp his hand tighter than tight so I would never lose him again.

He could have used his outside voice, shrieked, or even whined. I simply needed to hear his call.

God doesn�t care how I call either. He wants me to use any voice to cry out for Him. Whether I cry, sit in silent anticipation, rush with joy, or roar in desperation, God hears.

Throughout the ages, people have called on the Lord and He has listened. David in his despair, triumph, and shame, called to God. Through weeping and joyful dances, he found an audience in God�s presence.

Whatever situation you�re in�enter His presence. Cry to Him. Laugh with Him. Dance with Him. Celebrate the gifts you�ve received. Simply talk to Him. He waits to hear from you.

Roar.

Angie Reedy is a freelance writer living in Central Illinois. For six years Angie wrote market and competitive analyses for a Fortune 50 company, but now focuses her corporate writing and editing experiences into subjects of authentic life and faith. She writes a monthly newspaper column for an Illinois regional newspaper and regularly updates her blog, www.realreedy@blogspot.com. Angie is married to Walter and loves the daily surprises that come with parenting her two young children.

Read Angie's devotions.

Exalted or Exhausted - Dawn George

2010-04-07T00:00:00.002-04:00

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom." Isaiah 40:28

When my daughter was very young, she loved to sing along with the worship songs as we drove around town doing errands. One very popular song at the time went like this...."He is exalted, the King is exalted on High; I will praise Him! He is exalted, forever exalted and I will praise His name. He is exalted the King is exalted...�

On one occasion, she was singing along but as I listened, I realized she misunderstood a word. This was her version: "He is exhausted, the King is exhausted on High; I will praise Him. He is exhausted, forever exhausted and I will praise His name. He is exhausted the King is exhausted...� Initially, I had a good laugh at the play on words but, as I drove on, I could not help but wonder if her version was a more accurate reflection of my life. Did I exhaust God more than I exalt Him? Can I exhaust God?

According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of the word exhaust is: to use up or consume completely; expend the whole of, tire, wear out. Can I �use up� or �consume� God�s mercy? Do I �weary� Him with my lack of progress? Is He exhausted with my repeated failures and confessions in some areas? I know I exhaust myself repeating the same cycles of sin, only to find myself on my knees confessing yet again. I grow weary when I see little growth in an area I have been struggling with for an extended period of time.

While expressing my frustration and fear of wearying God to a friend, she lovingly pointed out to me that I could not out-sin God's grace. And that was when my heart was reminded and my spirit strengthened by the answer to my question. The answer is grace! Had grace not intervened, I would have continued to live in fear of the penalty of my sin and failure. But, praise be to God, grace did intervene�on the cross at Calvary! And, although I may "Remember my affliction and wandering, and my soul (may become) downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness."

Dawn George is a wife and homeschooling mother of four in Miami, Florida. Her love and passion for writing was fanned into flame by her love and passion for the Lord. She desires to share God�s redemptive love to all who thirst for living water. She openly and passionately shares her 9 year old son�s battle against cancer and how it has affected their family through her writing at www.georgefamilyblog.com. Visit their site to see God�s redemption at work and on display through suffering according to His will.
Read Dawn's devotions.

Holey Underware - Leah Mix

2010-04-06T00:00:00.000-04:00

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin...and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow�" Mathew 6:28-31 NIV

�Put them in the rag bag so you don�t keep wearing them, and we will buy you more,� my husband chided.

�But they have so many more miles left,� I retorted.

I had put my nail through the cloth and with each wearing and washing, the hole had become larger. On the outside, I was saying one thing, but God knew I was not being honest.

With things financially so tight, my heart doubted things would ever get better. My husband did well at juggling money, but we never seemed to get ahead. Therefore, it must be God�s fault. He wasn�t being true to His word; and my holey underwear proved it. Besides, no one but me, Gary and God knew I was wearing them, (and now you) so why should I spend the little we had on something unseen.

The maker of my heart knew what was lurking in the dark corners. I wasn�t being kind to His reputation.

Oh, I would tell others of His provisions, His blessings to us in so many ways, but my heart-harbored resentment that we weren�t at our previous status, or better. At this point in our lives, we should be �set� for our future, not wondering about our health care, or if we could afford to replace a broken appliance or replace a roof. As baby boomers, we were supposed to have more than the generations that went before us, but we didn�t. We were experiencing less.

I expected a bright future and when it didn�t materialize, I had become crushed in my spirit. Things were not like I had hoped for.

�God has blessed me in so many ways,� I said,� so why am I down in my spirit?�

This came the same week as the first earthquake in Haiti. Watching the scenes unfold was a wake-up call for me. With such devastation, I wanted to hold on to my holey piece of cloth. I felt blessed to have it. They had nothing to call their own. I had wealth all around me. Reality finally set in.

Satan snidely said, �See, He wasn�t kind to them either. See how He took care of them?�

Thinking on this, I said, �Yes, I do! He�s sent the world to help them.� Moreover, though they will never know it, the people of Haiti and the response to them, have even helped me!

Leah Mix has been married to her wonderful husband, Gary, for 39 years. A transplant from Upstate New York to Florida, Leah experienced culture shock, but now loves her home and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. She found out when God plants you, He will make you happy blooming there. Leah is the mother of two and grandmother of five. Writing is a new venture for Leah, but has been a dream for years. She is excited about the future because she has found, God is good - all the time. Read Leah's devotions.

Living Water - Pat Moyer

2010-04-05T00:00:00.001-04:00

"On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, �Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, �Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.�� John 7:37-39 NLT

Driving to work one day, I noticed that huge rocks had been placed in the yard of a new home under construction. I wondered what they were planning and what kind of equipment had been used to put such massive stones into place.

A few days later I drove past again. The formation was more predictable. I could see what they were making. In fact, it was partly finished. A large waterfall stood like a beacon sending a message from the yard�water tumbled freely and powerfully down the stairway of rocks.

As my eyes followed the path of the water, I thought of the words of Jesus: �Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, �Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.� This water sure was living, it was downright lively. It ran like a NASCAR twisting and turning, spraying and foaming.

Jesus wants to do that in us. He wants to so fill us with the Holy Spirit that we overflow with abundant joy. His Spirit in us will come spilling out, quenching the thirst of those we come in contact with. He will send those who are thirsty to cross our path so we can share the refreshment and strength that He�s given us.

Does your life seem dry and parched? Come to the fountain and drink the living water. Be revived.

Prayer: Thank you for quenching my thirst, Lord. Help me to be the kind of person who will share with others how they can have the same thing you have given to me.

Pat is a freelance writer, wife, mother, grandmother and photographer, residing in Pottstown, PA. She is a lifetime member of The Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania and a lifetime member of National Garden Clubs, Inc. She is past president of the Pottstown Area Garden Club and a C.L.A.S.S. trained speaker. She has been an inspirational speaker for Bible studies, women�s groups, retirement groups, conferences, holiday teas and luncheons. She is currently a member of the teaching team for an adult ladies' Sunday school class. Pat has worked in many areas of church ministry and has served as Director of the primary dept. for D.V.B.S., primary dept. Sunday school teacher, Camp Cherith camp counselor, and co-chair for the E.B.C. Women�s Conference. You can reach Pat by e-mail at patricia.moyer@yahoo.com. You may visit her web site at http://www.patmoyer-treasure.net/ and her blog at http://www.thegardenwayfarer.blogspot.com/
Read Pat's devotions

No Greater Love - Cindy Sproles

2010-04-04T00:00:00.002-04:00

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

Bittersweet. That�s how I describe Easter. It was just a twist of fate, but one that twisted in the wrong direction for us. You never know what rolls around in a child�s mind, and this time we were thrown a curve.

He was six. I sat in my Sunday school class down the hall from his classroom when I heard an undeniable scream. Cameron, I thought. Bolting out of my seat, I rushed down the hall. His teacher stood trying to console him.

�What�s wrong?� I asked as he wrapped his arms around my neck and sobbed.

�I can�t look! You told me Jesus was my friend.�

�He is!�

�They killed him. And my teacher says it was because of me.� His body quivered.

Tears dripped down his teacher�s face. �I never��

�I know. It�s fine.�

As he pointed at the pictures of Christ�s beatings, His hands being nailed to the cross, the crucifixion, I realized how truly horrible they were. How did I explain this crass act of cruelty to a child?

We take for granted the pictures of Christ and His crucifixion. We look through rose-colored glasses, at a drop of blood here and there. But it was so much more. The longer I flipped through the Sunday school papers, the harder it became for me to look, too.

�I would never kill my friend!� cried my son.

�Honey, you didn�t kill Jesus. The Roman soldiers did. But, you have to understand that Jesus didn�t have to die.�

�He didn�t?�

�No. All He had to do was call on the angels and they would have rescued Him. But He loved us so much that He was willing to die for all the wrongs we�d ever commit � even before we were born.�

�I couldn�t do that.� my son whimpered.

�I doubt I could either. But Jesus is a different kind of friend.�

The day passed and my son calmed, but as I thought about the picture he�d tried to grasp, I couldn�t help but wonder�really wonder�why? There is no love greater than the love that this Friend, this Father, this God, exhibited for us.

With all the powers of heaven behind Him, He chose to pay the price. Christ made a choice.
Easter is bittersweet. Bitter in His loss, sweet in my gain. And, as I think of the lyrics, �What a Friend We Have in Jesus,� I find new meaning in His friendship. I�m not sure I�ll ever understand why, but He proved He loves me more than life itself.

When you long for true friendship, look upward to the One who gave it all for you. There is no greater love.

Cindy Sproles, along with Eddie Jones, are co-founders and co-writers of ChristianDevotions.us. She co-writes the popular He Said, She Said devotions with Jones and they co-host the He Said, She Said Radio show.
She is a graduate of the University of Phoenix and her devotions appear weekly in papers across the eastern United States. Cindy is the editor of Christian Devotions and serves as a co-host on Christian Devotions Speak UP with Marianne Jordan. She is a popular speaker for women's retreats and conferences and also travels with Eddie Jones representing Christian Devotions and teaching at writer�s conferences across the country.

Cindy is a featured writer in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust, A Journey to Financial Dependence.

Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-4-6
Price: $9.95

Alone but not Lonely - Kristi Buttles

2010-04-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

"Jesus said, ��surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.� Matthew 28:20

My beloved, God-fearing grandmother lay dying. I was helpless to help her. For months we watched her condition worsen. Her medical needs necessitated a nursing home, though it was never our wish for her. I felt a huge responsibility to be with her so she would not feel lonely.

At her bedside, I recounted she buried her parents, husband, best friend, and daughter�my mom. I held her hand and retold family stories and read Scripture to her. I talked about what heaven might look like. She lay silent, struggling for every breath.

The Lord reminded me of my bible study. I replied, �I�m not going to bible study today. This is where I need to be.�

God firmly said, �Go.�

Very reluctantly, I went for a short while. I left my cell phone number with the nurse and said I�d be right back. My sister was home gathering Grandma�s legal documents.

The study was an unexpected respite in the midst of unrelenting sorrow and angst�then my cell phone rang. I grabbed it and ran out of the room.

The nurse informed me Grandma had just passed away. My knees gave way as I slid down the wall sobbing. I missed the opportunity to be with her when she died. She died alone. I could never live down the guilt.

I told my sister my feelings. She gently responded, �I believe Grandma was waiting for us to leave. I think she didn�t want us to see her die.�

I believe she was right. There has been so much loss in our family, it would be like Grandma to spare us overwhelming grief. Her giving, selfless life was always lived in others� best interests. Even in her death she thought of us. This is who she was.

This is who Jesus is. In the midst of His death, He remembered us. Jesus knew why He was dying�to give us life.

Jesus died a horrific death alone. Yet, His grace covers our guilt.

He offers us abundant life�at the expense of His death. No one else can love us this way.

Accept the gift of new life Christ offers you through His death and resurrection. Admit your sin. Believe Jesus� sacrifice as the Son of God. Receive eternal life through Jesus Christ, and turn from your sin.

With Jesus, even when we are lonely we are never truly alone.

Kristi Buttles is a freelance writer and photographer and has been published in the book Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust. She is an elementary school teacher and is involved in several ministries in her home church. She has written fiction, non-fiction, a bible study, and a children�s book which she also illustrated. All of which she hopes to publish soon. She has also designed her own line of unique greeting cards that combine her love for words with her passion for photography.
Read Kristi's devotions.

Reaching Out In Unity- He Said

2010-04-02T00:01:00.003-04:00

"I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one - I in them and you in me so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." - John 17:22-23 (NIV)

Listen to Reaching Out In Unity

A former neighbor called this week. Turns out my friends Kim and Beth aren't speaking to each other� again. For the past several years they've argued over Kim's loud music, Beth's complaints to the town board, Kim's kids playing in Beth's front yard, the government's role in health care, abortion rights, immigration and on and on. Whatever the issue, I always know where Kim and Beth stand-on opposite sides of the fence.

This time their disagreement was over money. Beth claimed Kim owed her $230. Kim was sure she'd paid the bill. She had. She'd paid me $230 for work I'd done months ago on a project initiated by Beth.

I hung up thinking; I ought to just pay Beth the $230 out of my own pocket. Maybe then they'd stop fighting. But would they? Even if I settled the accounts for them, would it matter?

Christ claimed our unity, love and forgiveness would be a sign to others that we were His-that the sacrifice of His Son for us mattered to us. But does it?

A few hours later I met with another friend, Suzie. She's a missionary in Romania. Suzie told me of all the miracles she's seen, the healing of broken bones, deaf ears opened, the sudden disappearance of cancerous tumors. Then she said, "But you know, even in my city, despite God's outpouring of love, we're divided. There are other churches that won't speak to us because of doctrinal differences. Imagine how confusing it is to those outside the Church when those of us inside the Church are arguing like this."

"No need to imagine," I told her. "I see it every Sunday."

I sent Beth a check for the full amount, asking that she respect our friendship enough to allow me to pay the debt of my other friend and her neighbor. Now it's up to them to resolve their differences. I pray that they will. I pray I haven't wasted my money.

I pray God hasn't wasted the life of His Son, either.

I Could Have Prayed - She Said

2010-04-02T00:00:00.001-04:00

� I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one, I in them and you in me, so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.� John 17:22-23 TNIV

Listen to I Could Have Prayed

I prayed too late. If I�d known sooner, maybe things would have been different. I stood gazing into the casket of my dearest friend. A sister. One I�d long to be in the company of, so when God blessed me with the opportunity to be her friend, I grasped hold and held tight.

That morning Mom had called me to ask if I�d heard from Lisa. I�d not heard from her in days, but we�d talked the week before.

�Lisa is dead,� Mom said. �Electrocuted in the tub.�

I hung up the phone. Don�t remember much after that. Somewhere between the four-hour trip and the reception line, I woke up to find myself staring into her casket, Lisa�s Bible clutched in her hands. Just like in life, she held Christ tight. Only now she was dead.

If I�d have known there was a problem between Lisa and her husband I�d have prayed for her safety. My heart broke as the loneliness swept over me. Christ had brought us together as friends and now we were divided by the shroud of death.

Lisa and I prayed together, talked about everything. And not once had she mentioned her deep fear of her husband or that he'd try to harm her. I�m not sure she knew the possibility. She�d ask how I was doing and yet, she kept silent about her own life.

I felt so helpless, torn. I could have prayed - would have, if I�d known. God might have saved her...changed her circumstances. But I didn�t know.

But Jesus knew. I took comfort in the fact that, just as Jesus prayed for us then, He prays for us, now. Long before my birth, He fell to His knees and pleaded that I would know the Father as He knew the Father. Christ prayed for me like no one else has ever prayed - He asked for me to be brought to Him and united in His love. He wanted me to have that peace and reassurance that He would die for. He prayed that same thing for Lisa.

It took years for me to learn the secret of prayer is not in the words but in the purity of our hearts. That it�s the sincerity of soul, a naive faith that believes we can know God and that God knows us. That He seeks us and desires our presence with Him. Christ pleaded to the Father that I would know the unity of His presence in my life and He prayed those words with that same purity of heart and a �Father�s faith,� believing that through my trials, I would respond.

In death Lisa clung to His word. Like Christ clung to the cross. Like I cling to the hope I�ll see my friend again.

Won�t you seek the One who reaches out from the cross to you? Allow His love to fill your heart. Hold tight to the unity found in Him through the Father and through the love we share with one another. He has provided a way to know Him.

We only need to stand in the shadow of the cross.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us. They co-write the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio's Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Scott McCausey.

And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust - A Journey to Financial Dependence.

Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-4-6
Price: $9.95