Childlike Servants - Lil Duncan

"And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3

Last summer, I knew God was opening doors—my dream to be a “successful” writer was finally happening. But now, months later, it’s still just a dream. After much prayer, I came to the conclusion that it must not be God’s will. After all, I would be further along in my career if it were God‘s will.

It wasn’t that I wanted to give up writing, but I wanted to do God‘s Will.

I gave up my daily writing time, then I felt like I’d lost my best friend. It will get better, I told myself. But it didn’t. I was praying, worrying, and obsessing when the phrase, ‘Come to me as a child’ popped into my head. I felt peace wash over me.

So what does it mean? It doesn’t mean being childish but rather child-like.

Children love their parents wholeheartedly. They trust their parents to do the right thing for them. Children depend on their parents to provide for them. Children are simple creatures. They do what they love, not to be successful, but for the simple joy of doing it. They play baseball because they love baseball. They dance because they love to dance.

The message was clear. Stop making life so complicated! Stop worrying about being a “successful” writer and write for the joy of writing. Start loving, trusting and depending on my Heavenly Father for He is faithful. When I brought myself before the Master with the heart of a child—pure, innocent and willing, Christ embraced me and suddenly the success lay in the arms of the one who held me tight.

Turn your heart’s desires to the Father, and come to him as a child. He will embrace you, too. What greater success could there be?

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God,
keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him
and keep his commands.”

Lil Duncan--writing stories where faith, hope, and love mingle with murder and mayhem. She believes that fiction can be entertaining without being tasteless. Besides writing, Lil is a Speech-Language Pathologist. She and her husband live in a (very) small town in the Amish country of Ohio. You can visit her website at www.familyfriendlyfiction.net

Publisher: PublishAmerica

ISBN-10: 1424146909

ISBN-13: 978-1424146901

God Doesn't Make Mistakes - Lil Duncan

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139: 13-14

Jack was a student of mine many years ago but I’ve never forgotten him. Jack was a sweet little boy that was always smiling but he hadn’t been blessed with a “normal” IQ. I would teach him something and be sure that he “knew” it but the next time I saw him, he couldn’t recall.

All of us would say, “Poor Jack” and shake our heads, and we had little hope for his future. Still every time I saw Jack he was smiling and laughing.

One day, it occurred to me that we shouldn’t be feeling sorry for Jack. He didn’t fit our idea of perfection but he was happy. Jack wasn’t trying to be something that he wasn’t. He was just being Jack.

We can all learn from Jack. We may not fit our idea of perfection but God doesn’t make mistakes. He planned for me to be under five feet tall and not be able to sing but He also gave me many talents and blessings that I’m thankful to have.

In this media crazy world we live in, it’s easy to look at the celebrities and believe that we don’t measure up. Instead of focusing on what we don’t have, we need to remember God loves us just the way we are. In fact, He made us that way. This week as you hear that inner voice saying that you aren’t good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, worthy enough—remember you are God’s creation and you are wonderfully made. God doesn’t make mistakes.

Rejoice in who you are. God does.

Lil Duncan--writing stories where faith, hope, and love mingle with murder and mayhem. She believes that fiction can be entertaining without being tasteless. Besides writing, Lil is a Speech-Language Pathologist. She and her husband live in a (very) small town in the Amish country of Ohio. You can visit her website at www.familyfriendlyfiction.net

Publisher: PublishAmerica
ISBN-10: 1424146909
ISBN-13: 978-1424146901

Forever His! - Lil Duncan

“ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

I was nineteen and making choices that weren’t godly. I wasn’t consciously rebelling against God but my actions told a different story. God’s love is so amazing that even though I had turned my back on him, he didn’t do the same to me.

After a year of working in dead end jobs, I was going to college. I was deciding what to major in. “Teacher” popped into my head. What a good idea, but what kind of teacher? Elementary? Home Ec? Math? “Deaf teacher” popped into my head. Another great idea!

Four years later, I became a Speech Pathologist and several years later received my Master’s Degree as a teacher of the deaf. It was only years later that I realized God had spoken to me in that still quiet voice he so often uses. He had strengthened me in knowledge and prepared me for a vocation.

Here it is more than thirty years later and I still love what I do. God is so wise and so good. He picked the perfect job for me in spite of my rebellion. This was only one of many times that God clearly guided me, protected me, and blessed me during my rebellion.

Know that God loves you. Just as the prodigal son’s father worried, loved him, and longed to bless him when he was off in rebellion, so it is with our heavenly father. Whether our rebellion lasts for ten minutes or ten years, God is waiting with open arms to welcome us back because we are forever his.

[Photo credit: Istock.com]

Lil Duncan--writing stories where faith, hope, and love mingle with murder and mayhem. She believes that fiction can be entertaining without being tasteless. Besides writing, Lil is a Speech-Language Pathologist. She and her husband live in a (very) small town in the Amish country of Ohio. You can visit her website at www.familyfriendlyfiction.net

Publisher: PublishAmerica

ISBN-10: 1424146909

ISBN-13: 978-1424146901

God Doesn't Make Mistakes - Lil Duncan

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139: 13-14

Jack was a student of mine many years ago but I’ve never forgotten him. Jack was a sweet little boy that was always smiling but Jack hadn’t been blessed with a “normal” IQ. I would teach him something and be sure that he “knew” it but the next time I saw him, he wouldn’t have a clue.

All of us would say, “poor Jack” and shake our heads. No one had much hope for Jack’s future but every time I saw Jack he was smiling and laughing.

One day, it occurred to me that we shouldn’t be feeling sorry for Jack. He didn’t fit our idea of perfection but Jack was happy. Jack wasn’t trying to be something that he wasn’t. He was just being Jack.

We can all learn from Jack. We may not fit our idea of perfection but God doesn’t make mistakes. He planned for me to be under five feet and not be able to sing but he also gave me many talents and blessings that I’m so very thankful for.

In this media crazy world we live in, it’s easy to look at the celebrities and believe that we don’t measure up. Instead of focusing on what we don’t have, we need to remember God loves us just the way we are. In fact, he made us that way. This week as you hear that inner voice saying that you aren’t good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, worthy enough, remember you are God’s creation and you are wonderfully made. God doesn’t make mistakes.

Lil Duncan--writing stories where faith, hope, and love mingle with murder and mayhem. She believes that fiction can be entertaining without being tasteless. Besides writing, Lil is a Speech-Language Pathologist. She and her husband live in a (very) small town in the Amish country of Ohio. You can visit her website at www.familyfriendlyfiction.net/ . Lil is featured in Spirit & HEART: A Devotional Journey.








Created in the image of the Father, we carry His Spirit and Soul, His Spirit and Mind, His Spirit and Body and His Spirit and Heart.

From the authors of Christian Devotions comes the first in a series of 30-day devotionals focusing on the image and attributes given to us by God.

Within the pages of Spirit & HEART: A Devotional Journey are passage markers to guide you into a deeper, more intimate relationship with the Father. Included in this compilation are devotions by Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles, plus, Christy award winner Ann Tatlock and best selling authors, Loree Lough, Yvonne Lehman, Ginny Smith, Irene Brand, Shelby Rawson, and Ariel Allison.

Contact us at: books@christiandevotions.us to place your order.

Come as a Child -- Lil Duncan

"And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3

Last summer, I knew God was opening doors and that my dream to be a writer was finally happening but now it’s six months later and it’s still just a dream. After much prayer and meditation, I came to the conclusion that it wasn’t God’s will for me to be a writer.

After all, I would be further along in my career if it were God‘s will. It wasn’t that I was discouraged and wanted to give up, but I wanted to do what God wanted me to do. My time could be better spent in other ways, like cleaning the house and giving more attention to my wonderful husband.

So, I gave up my daily writing time but I felt like I lost my best friend. It will get better, I told myself but it didn’t. That’s when the struggling began. I did what I could to find “the answer.” I prayed and read and prayed some more. Nothing.

A few days ago, I was praying, worrying, and obsessing once again. I was telling God that I was confused and it was all so complicated and I was tired of it. The phrase, ‘Come to me as a child’ popped into my head. I felt peace wash over me.

The message was clear. Stop making life so complicated! Children are simple creatures. They like baseball so they play baseball. They like to read so they read. The act of writing gives me joy. I may never get an agent or be on the best seller list. I may never have the “writing career” that I dream of but...I love to write so I will write.



Lil Duncan--writing stories where faith, hope, and love mingle with murder and mayhem. She believes that fiction can be entertaining without being tasteless. Besides writing, Lil is a Speech-Language Pathologist. She and her husband live in a (very) small town in the Amish country of Ohio. You can visit her website at www.familyfriendlyfiction.net .

Publisher: PublishAmerica

ISBN-10: 1424146909

ISBN-13: 978-1424146901

Are You Putting God in a Cage? -- Lil Duncan

"Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you." James 4:8 NLT

Friends told me this story of a rescued dog. The dog’s owners decided to use crate training to housebreak their young puppy. Crate training encourages the puppy to wait to potty until they’re taken outside. Puppies won’t potty where they sleep, so crate training teaches them to wait.

Unfortunately, the owners missed the point. They brought their puppy home and, as expected, the puppy soon had an accident. His owners punished him by putting him in the kennel. With each accident, they punished him by keeping him in the cage for longer periods. Naturally, the dog would have another accident and the cycle continued.

Eventually, the dog was kenneled for several days at a time without food or water. The owners didn’t understand why the dog had turned angry and mean.

Dogs are great pets when they are loved and nurtured. The more time we spend with them, the stronger the bond becomes. As with pets, the key to any relationship is the time, attention and effort given.

What about your relationship with God? Do you treat Him in a way that we wouldn’t treat a dog? Is He taken from the cage on Sundays for a few hours only to be kenneled again until the next Sunday? We may even have good intentions but…

I know that happens to me more often than I care to admit. I have good intentions to spend time with God but life happens. Before I know it, I begin to lose my patience, joy and peace. That’s when I know it’s time to draw near to God and He’s always there waiting.

Don’t cheat yourself out of a loving relationship with God because you think you don’t have time. Include God in your thoughts while you do your chores, listen to praise music, pray. Start a list of things you’re grateful for, rent a Biblical movie.

Memorize scripture, sing a hymn, reflect on God’s goodness and His handiwork and
as you fall asleep, end your day with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

Be creative and enjoy your time with God. The more time you spend with Him, the more peace and joy you will experience. As you reap the benefits of spending time with God, you’ll soon find yourself craving time with Him. He’s there --waiting for you.



Lil Duncan--writing stories where faith, hope, and love mingle with murder and mayhem. She believes that fiction can be entertaining without being tasteless. Besides writing, Lil is a Speech-Language Pathologist. She and her husband live in a (very) small town in the Amish country of Ohio. You can visit her website at www.familyfriendlyfiction.net.