Devotionals

What the Enemy Meant for Evil, God Will Use for Good Scripture: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…” — Genesis 50:20 There are some verses that don’t feel like a cute coffee mug verse. They feel like a survivor  verse.Genesis 50:20 is one of those. Joseph isn’t saying that what happened to him was “no big deal.” He was betrayed by his brothers, sold, lied about, forgotten, and delayed. Joseph is naming it plainly: evil was involved.  People made

“No Excuses: Saying Yes to Jesus in the New Year” (Luke 14:16–24) Scripture (Luke 14:16–24): Jesus told them: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests… But they all alike began to make excuses…”  (paraphrase) There’s something about the new year that makes us reflective. We think about what we want to change, what we want to leave behind, what we’re hoping will be different. And if we’re honest… a lot of us want change spiritually, too. We want to

If the holidays feel heavy this year, I just want to say this right up front: You’re not crazy. You’re not “too emotional.” You’re not failing Christmas. You’re grieving. And grief and glitter don’t always mix very well. We see the twinkling lights, hear the songs, watch everyone post their matching pajama pictures—and meanwhile, our hearts are saying: “Someone is missing. This will never be the same.” If that’s you, you are so seen. I know this feeling all too well. “The Lor

God Has a Book With Your Name In It Have you ever had one of those moments where you just needed to know you weren’t overlooked? That God saw you… really saw you? I think we all have. And tucked away in the book of Malachi is this beautiful, hope-filled reminder that God does more than notice us—He actually writes down our faithfulness. Malachi says it this way: “Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard.A scroll of remembrance was

When people read Ephesians 6 and come across Paul’s words to “bondservants” and “masters,” it can stir a lot of questions. Is Paul okay with slavery? Why didn’t he condemn it? How does this fit into God’s heart for justice and freedom? These are real questions, and they matter. And when we look closely at history and scripture, we find a truth even deeper than the cultural moment Paul was speaking into — a truth that speaks right into our lives today. Let’s walk through this

The Real Test—Loving Like Jesus When It Hurts Scripture:   “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good…”  — Romans 12:9–21 (ESV) Have you ever had someone come against you for no reason? Maybe they misunderstood you, spoke against you, or treated you in a way that felt completely unfair. If so, you’re not alone. I’ve been there too—and to be honest, I didn’t always handle it the right way. When people hurt us, our natural reaction is to defend ourselve