Intentional Love

By Cheri Cowell –

One of my favorite photos from childhood was taken Easter morning on the front steps of my grandparent’s home. My sister and I are smiling from ear to ear fashioning our new Easter dresses, hats, and gloves. Each year I looked forward to the month of February when my mother and I would travel to the fabric store to pick out the material for my new Easter dress. And of course, I couldn’t have a new dress without new shoes and a hat to match! God applies the same principle to our “new clothes” in Christ.

“Now that we have been cleansed…” Even if I didn’t get new shoes to go with my new Easter dress, I would have, at the very least, cleaned and polished my old shoes to likenew. As Christians we have a new spirit given to us. We have new clothes for our souls, yet many times we act as if we can continue to wear our old shoes. These old shoes have wear patterns in their soles that cause us to walk in a certain way. This scripture reminds us that we need to put on new shoes to go with our new clothes. Those new shoes are for the love-walk we are to have in our lives. Because of His Spirit of Love within us, we can love others with a sincerity that only comes from Him. Therefore, since we can love, we should love intentionally and with intensity. That is what a love walk looks like—intentional and intensely personal.

PRAYER: Thank You for cleansing me of my sins and for giving me Your Spirit of love. Help me become intentional today about loving others with an intensity that equals Your sacrifice.

“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22 NIV).

Today’s devotion is by Cheri Cowell, who writes and speaks on topics of Christian discipleship. In addition to her books and articles, you can learn about her speaking ministry and sign up to receive her daily devotional at www.CheriCowell.com

Dancing Despite Our Defects

By Peter Lundell –

I recently watched two unusual ballet dancers. The pair dances passionately, with meaning and effect. Their achievement is different from most others, though. They each had the vision and will to overcome what few of us could imagine. The woman doesn’t have an arm and the man doesn’t have a leg. Yet they have mastered ballet. I’d never before seen a crutch used so artistically.

What is your handicap? Is it a beaten-down heart? Years of being abused? Lack of ability? Failure in the past? Fear of the future? If so, you’ve got lots of company. But ask yourself: Is there anything that God has created you for that you have yet to fulfill? Something you feel called to but have held back? An obstacle you’re trying to overcome?

Too many times I’ve shrunk back from being and doing what I could because of some setback or painful experience. I didn’t fulfill the role—or dance of life if you will—that God had given me. I only wish I had. The man without a leg and woman without an arm faced their handicaps and got creative. The result has blessed millions. What could happen with you and me as we do likewise in the coming months and years?

My point is not to motivate us toward success but rather to fulfill what God has made us to be. We’ll always have obstacles. We can see them either as barriers that stop us or as hurdles to overcome—and with each one we will grow.

Who are you? Who will you be?

In this new year, what steps might you take in the dance of your own life?

PRAYER: Lord, we both know my hurts, handicaps, and obstacles. Here and now I give them to You. Do with me what You will. Show me how to turn my negatives into positives. Make my hardships the foundation of blessings.

“I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD” (Psalm 40:1–3, NIV).

Today’s devotion is by Peter Lundell, author of the award-winning book Prayer Power. A rising new voice on connecting with God, Lundell is a pastor, Bible college teacher, and conference speaker. Visit him at www.PeterLundell.com for his inspirational “Connections” and free downloads of articles, parables, short stories, and book chapters. [Go to youtube to view this beautiful dance.]

Purposeful Steps

By Sherri Holbert –

Do you have changes you’d like to make in your life? Perhaps you would like to exercise more during the week. Maybe you would like to have more time to simply relax and read a book. Perhaps you love to read so you’d like to read 10 new books to learn about a new area of interest. Maybe you’d like to start planning for a family vacation you’ve not been able to take. Maybe you have that one thing you keep saying, “I wish I could do this. I wish I could do this.”

We all have changes we’d like to make in our life. This means we all have goals we want to accomplish. Yet many people say, “I’m not goal-oriented.” The word “goal” can be scary to some people.

If you were an athlete in high school or college, what was your team goal? To win, of course. Everything you did in practice was designed to help you achieve that goal. What is your goal as a Christian? It’s to be more Christ-like. This means we work to take purposeful steps, creating the change we want in life. Train our minds to focus on the positives and train our mouths to say kind and loving things to others. It takes work—especially patience and faith. There is only one way to do this and do it well. Have a plan—a plan to keep yourself on target.

You may not see the need for putting goals into a written plan on paper but Paul taught us goal-setting is scriptural. Here are some key points we can learn from Paul to apply to our lives:

• God has a plan for my life. He will guide me with the plan.
• I will practice strict control.
• I will make each step purposeful.
• I will run straight toward my goal without wavering.
• I discipline my mind and body to do what it should.
• I strive for eternal riches.

Paul said it best when he said that the important thing is to take small steps to accomplish the goals God wants you to achieve so you don’t get overwhelmed and quit.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, help me to run the race with strength and courage so that I am accomplishing the goals that are part of Your big plan for my life. Keep me focused on things that make an eternal difference. Keep reminding me that I accomplish Your work through daily small steps.”

“Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You also must run in such a way that you will win. All athletes practice strict self-control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So, I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step… I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NLT).

This devotion is by Sherri Holbert, a life coach, author and co-founder of Walk of Purpose Ministries. Her study, DIVAS of the Divine:  How to Live as a Designer Original in a Knock-Off World guides you through setting a step-by-step plan in place to help you accomplish the changes you want to make in your life. Learn more at www.walkofpurpose.com

Pouting Elmo

By Hally Franz –

Elmo is a favorite buddy of my good friend’s adorable two-year-old son. We had lunch recently, and she told me how much he enjoyed anything Elmo. Elmo is a classic. My son hung with Elmo, too; he had his own “Tickle Me, Elmo” doll.

This pal of mine is a young mother and assistant high school principal, and, as often happens, our conversation that day turned to parenting, education and discipline.

Her primary discipline challenges come daily at work rather than with her young son, but soon she’ll be facing them at home too. I know there are children in the world who snap into perfect behavior with a stern look or simple sentence of disappointment. They don’t live at my house.

So, whether out of careful contemplation or desperation, we have sampled a number of forms of discipline. I talk through these issues with our children, while my husband, with his military background, keeps things short and simple. We’ve counted them down, taken away privileges and possessions, and spanked. Success with any form of discipline depends almost entirely on assurance that something bad will happen when children don’t comply with the parental request.

It’s important not to make a threat or consequence that you can’t actually keep, because it blows credibility. I have taken away school field trips when behavior leading up to the day was poor and donated favorite toys when they weren’t being taken care of. Sometimes the follow through part is heart-wrenching.

When I’ve had a rough time with one of my children, I reframe the situation something like this. If God only gives us what we can handle, He must have confidence in me, because he (or she) was a real pain today. It makes me feel better. On those days when my confidence falters, I am careful not to let my kids see it. When it comes to matters of discipline, they simply can’t see me sweat. Kids can be like sharks when they smell blood in the water, merciless.

Consistency, confidence and compassion combined with consideration of the child’s personality and offense, and, of course, love, are perhaps the most important tenants of successful discipline.

Did I mention we used time out… a lot! Ivan became so comfortable with time out that he often disciplined Elmo and other friends, likewise. Occasionally, Elmo Schmelmo got downright cranky and in no mood for tickling.

PRAYER: Father, thank You for blessing me with my beautiful children. With Your help, may I model good behavior and train them in godliness so that they may better serve You.

“Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6 NIV).

Today’s devotion is by Hally Franz. Hally is a former high school guidance counselor, turned homemaker. Hally sees each day as a new exercise, where routines change and weights vary. Her goal is to maintain all-around fitness for service, while training her children to be competitive, compassionate and Christ-like in the world in which we live.

Spiritual Vitamin B

By Donna McCrary –

Spiritual Vitamin Bs are guaranteed to boost your energy to supernatural highs, give you better mental focus on what is important and create an overwhelming sense of peace that cannot be explained!

Directions: Take one dose of the following Vitamin Bs each morning. Vitamins can be taken all at once without regard to meals. (However, a healthy diet of scripture and prayer will maximize the long term benefits.) Extreme caution must be taken while consuming these vitamins. The overall effect is so powerful you will be bombarded by others who will want to know the secret to the “new you.”

• Vitamin B1 – Be thankful (Colossians 3:15). This vitamin is known for its ability to increase positive mental thoughts and foster an attitude of humility towards others.
• Vitamin B2 – Be purposeful (Proverbs 3:5-6). This one vitamin boggles the minds of scientists because of the staggering stress reduction properties. Remarkable evidence supports this vitamin’s ability to clarify decisions and redirect energy to an eternal purpose.
• Vitamin B3 – Be teachable (Colossians 3:10, 16). This vitamin paired with scripture must be consumed on a regular basis for best results. Accepting weakness and learning from failures is the key ingredient to an overall sense of wellbeing.
• Vitamin B4 – Be you (Ephesians 2:10). B4 is simply the most fascinating antidote to improved health and mental clarity. Even though scientists haven’t cracked the exact way it works they all agree it is by far one of the most amazing spiritual vitamins known to man. You are unique and created with a divine purpose.
• Vitamin B5 – Be your best (Colossians 3:17-24). Be the best you can in all things simply because it brings glory to God. This vitamin is essential to establishing increased focus on one’s personal perspective. It is widely regarded as the number one way to find satisfaction in even in the most mundane tasks.
• Vitamin B6 – Be love (Corinthians 13:1-3). This vitamin is absolutely essential for every person. Studies prove with overwhelming statistics the magnitude of this one vitamin—love. Its value to the human body and soul is so necessary scientists can only speculate the damage caused when this vitamin is not consumed. The most amazing aspect of this vitamin is the “give away” phenomenon it produces in people. The more B6 love vitamins you consume from the heavenly Father the more unconditional love you are able to share. Simply indescribable!

PRAYER: Father, I’m grateful for the supplements You give me so that I might grow into the vital, vibrant Christian You want me to be. Help me absorb each of these vitamins in a way that will result in bringing You more glory.

“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:14-17).

Today’s devotion is by Donna McCrary, a spiritual vitamin guru. Learn more about her ministry and the powerful life changing new curriculum she co-authored called DIVAS of the Divine: How to Live as a Designer Original in a Knock-Off World at www.walkofpurpose.com.

« Previous Page — Next Page »