The Road Less Traveled
July 29, 2026 by Cheri Cowell
Filed under Daily Devotions, Personal Growth
By Cheri Cowell –
Whether we call them New Year’s resolutions or simply think of them as plans for the start of a new year, many of us choose new paths this time of year. When choosing a path forward we can follow the road less traveled, but if we are honest, most of us prefer the path of relative ease. Crowded and filled with familiarity, this road appears to go where we want to go, after-all “everyone” is on it. One look at the commercials this time of year and we know this crowded thoroughfare—buy this product or that and you’ll look younger, feel smarter, reach your dreams. You can have it all, they scream, if only you… Songs are made to glorify this super-highway and books tempt us with stories of its fulfillment. However, once lulled by its smooth surface, we find little truth in its travel brochures. The grass isn’t greener on the other side—weeds still grow there, too.
The lesson is clear: be sure you are not fooled by their flashy advertisements. The road less traveled, the more difficult way is the true path to fulfillment. This familiar passage in Matthew speaks of this narrow way, but separated from the next passage we don’t know how to find this road and will easily fall prey to deceptive advertising. So, what is this big secret? Simple. Look at the fruit. Jesus asks, “Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” The road less traveled might be less crowded, but those who’ve found it will have the life those on the other paths only dream of.
PRAYER: Thank You for being the Gate through which the road less traveled passes. Help me to be aware of false advertising, and to resist the lull of the path of relative ease.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14, 15-20 NIV).
Today’s devotion is by Cheri Cowell, author of Direction: Discernment for the Decisions of Your Life, a great book for those looking for a guide on the road less traveled. Visit her website at http://www.CheriCowell.com
What Did You Find?
July 20, 2026 by Jarrod Spencer
Filed under Daily Devotions, Personal Growth
By Jarrod Spencer –
My wife and I traveled to her grandmother’s house for the holidays one year, using my father-in-law’s directions. The car we traveled in had no overhead light, so Aubrey was forced to read the directions using the under-dash light. We thought it said to look for a “green house,” however before it was too late, we realized we needed to turn at the “greenhouse,” a plant nursery. We didn’t miss our turn, but we still joke about it each time we drive by there. We were following directions but ended up with something totally different by the time we reached this part of the trip.
Finding something totally different than what we expect isn’t abnormal. It’s possible people reacted that way when Jesus was born—and even today, when they find Jesus.
There are some interesting life lessons we can learn from trips, such as when the shepherds searched for the baby Jesus. First, don’t over-plan your trip. Each day you may do much of the same thing; but don’t forget to plan for flexibility. God may throw something at you that you never thought was going to be in your day of travels. The unexpected can make it very interesting!
Second, the unexpected may actually have been planned. God brings about something that may be a surprise to you, but certainly didn’t take Him by surprise. Your day may be going the way you planned it, but when something unplanned happens, that may have been God interjecting and saying, “This is what I’ve got planned.”
Finally, reveal the manger. Have you ever hidden something behind your back that you were going to later reveal? All Christians have something they need to reveal to others—Jesus! He is our treasure. Bring Him front and center, and show others your Savior, even if the reveal wasn’t what they expected.
The shepherds found Him in a manger. You found Him somewhere else. Let’s make sure others see Him in all sorts of places.
AUTHOR QUOTE: People may not have planned to see Jesus when they met up with you, but hopefully He is exactly what they’ll find.
“When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them” (Luke 2:15-18 ESV).
Today’s devotional is by Jarrod Spencer. He is a seeker of God’s surprises in everyday life, looking for ways to be used by God with anyone he comes in contact with. He has a passion for encouraging people through the written word and exercises that passion with blogging and sending out a weekly text of encouragement. You can read more of his writings at http://jarrodspencer.blogspot.com and his church’s website is http://www.colbychurch.com.
May Your Days Be Merry and Bright
July 11, 2026 by Aubrey Spencer
Filed under Daily Devotions, Personal Growth
By Aubrey Spencer –
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! We are all moved in and settled in our new home in Kansas, just in time for my favorite holiday. I love the lights, the music, the decorations, the traditions, the cheer, the excitement and, of course, Santa! I’m telling you, moving around this time of the year has been a great motivator for me. In just two weeks time, I’ve completely unpacked, decked the house out for Christmas and am ready to host our annual Holiday Open House on Sunday.
You see, if it weren’t for my love of all things Christmas and my clouded vision that comes from the joy of this season, I would be staring at a number of things that aren’t so festive. Like the fact that we had a leak from the hot water heater that flooded our basement last week. Or how running the washing machine made the shower drain overflow Monday night, causing the basement to flood again. Or dealing with fussy Oliver, who’s getting more teeth, has his first cold and hasn’t been so jolly the last week, to say the least. Or possibly, the fact that our living situation is temporary because we’re renting a house still up for sale while waiting for our own home to sell back in Illinois. Our charming house is tiny, and half of our belongings are still packed, stored in the garage because our furniture won’t all fit. Compounding all these frustrations, in just one week’s time, we lost the house keys once, locked ourselves out of the house once and locked the office keys inside the office. Crazy, huh?
It would be so easy for me to become the Grinch if I focused on all that craziness. But, I’m thinking of better things: twinkling lights, mistletoe, Christmas carols, joy, friendship, and laughter.
Truth is, it’s easy not to be bah hum bug during the holidays. The real work begins when problems arise and there are no silver bells to distract me. It is in those moments that I must remember what Scripture tells me—dwell on things above. With that focus, my days will be merry and bright, through the holidays and beyond.
PRAYER: Father, I pray that You will help me focus on You and all Your blessings instead of the troubles and difficulties that come my way. Help me to see situations through Your eyes and to fill myself with Your goodness.
“…Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Philippians 4:8 NIV).
Today’s devotional is by Aubrey Spencer. Aubrey is a real housewife of northwest Kansas. She is a minister’s wife and a mom to two little miracles, Oliver and Ava. She has a passion for writing and entertaining but realizes her greatest ministry at the moment is to raise her children to be people after God’s own heart. She loves to see how God shows up in everyday situations. Read more of her writings at http://ministrymama.blogspot.com.
Unplanned But Part of God’s Plan
June 16, 2019 by Rosemary Flaaten
Filed under Daily Devotions, Personal Growth
God has had a purpose for every moment of my life, and that plan will continue until the moment I die. These holy plans have been evident as a child growing up on a farm on the Canadian prairies, a student at a secular university, a nursing aid and daycare worker, a music teacher, and an ex-pat corporate wife. Being a pastor in a mega church, a writer and a corporate trainer have all been surprises to me but have also been part of God’s plan before the beginning of time. To many my journey may seem like a mismatch of pathways but God’s plans are higher than my vocation; they are my calling.
The path of our lives may start with a bump or two, be full of winding roads and mishaps, and have their share of both mountain tops and deep valleys but through it all we must continue to believe that God has a plan. Our lives our not random or purposeless.
Wherever we find ourselves, we must be attentive to the God-tracks in our history. History is really God’s story and we get the privilege of living His-story in our skin. When we can believe that God has brought us to this place, on this day in history for “such a time as this” (Esther 4:14 NIV), then we will view each unexpected diversion in our path in a different light. Instead of being setbacks, they will be stepping stones on the plan God is unfolding.
May each of us be attentive to the portion of His-story that we are part of this day and commit to living out our potential in His holy plan.
PRAYER: O Lord, give me the faith to catch a fresh glimpse of Your holy plan for me this day.
“Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you” (Jeremiah 1: 5 TM).
Today’s Devotional is by Rosemary Flaaten. Her successful book, A Woman and Her Relationships, and its accompanying DVD small group resource helps women bridge the gap between their spiritual lives and everyday interactions. Her newest book A Woman and Her Workplace delves into 9-5 relationships. A dynamic speaker—Rosemary challenges her audiences to view their workplaces as opportunities to live out Christ’s love. Rosemary lives with her husband and three children in Calgary, Canada.
Spring Cleaning
June 11, 2019 by Hally Franz
Filed under Daily Devotions, Personal Growth
By Hally Franz –
It’s that time again. Who doesn’t enjoy spring cleaning? I look forward to that first 70-degree day when I’m moved to turn on Jimmy Buffet, open the windows to enjoy the warm air and sunshine, and spend a block of time to get down to some serious cleaning. I’ll dust, vacuum, change sheets, eliminate clutter and clean bathrooms. That’s it, right?
I saw a talk show on the topic of household germs and bacteria, and the well-known host said that her bed sheets were changed every other day. Clean sheets are splendid, but in the real-world they usually get changed weekly. In the real world, sometimes spring cleaning doesn’t happen like it is supposed to. It doesn’t always include washing windows, taking down and cleaning drapes, and organizing all the closets. It may just be music, fresh air and the regular routine.
Even if my deep cleaning doesn’t get done on schedule, I do savor the first-day feel of fresh sheets. They’re tucked in nice and tight before a week’s worth of sleep wrinkles and pulls at them. They have that slick, smooth feel before little bits of grit make their way in, and pillow cases smell nice until morning breath odors attach to them. Clean sheets are one of life’s simple pleasures.
It’s unrealistic for me to think that I will awake every day with the spiritual feelings of being newly baptized. There are days when I am neither excited nor inspired. In the real world, our days cause us to be pulled in lots of directions. We get dirty with the sin that inevitably makes its way into our lives, and we may face situations that really stink. That’s the real world.
However, it is possible for us to become refreshed and renewed each week when we meet on Sundays for a time of study, praise and fellowship. Sunday services always leave me with that “clean sheet feeling” in my soul. The study of scripture and the message from our minister help to smooth the wrinkles in my furrowed brow. I feel washed in the sounds of voices raised in song, and greetings and hugs from church family feel like fragrant, warm breezes.
My usual routine includes a weekly change of my bed sheets and Sunday mornings in worship. While the other chores may wait a season, these are done right on time.
PRAYER: Merciful God, thank You for the opportunity to be refreshed each Sabbath by Your Word, songs of praise and fellowship with other Christians.
“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22 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.
