“But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” — Luke 5:16 (ESV) Can I tell you something I’ve been thinking about lately? Jesus was never in a hurry. That challenges me, because I can be very, very good at hurrying. When I sat down with my coffee yesterday, I opened my Bible, and before I’d read two verses, my mind had already jumped to the to-do list: emails, errands, a phone call I needed to return. I looked down; my coffee had gone cold, and I couldn’t tell you a si

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) I love watching the seasons change. There’s something beautiful about that slow transition between summer and fall. It doesn’t happen overnight. One day the trees are full and green. The next, you begin to notice a leaf here and there changing color. Before long, the landscape looks completely different. God often works in your heart the s

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” —Galatians 5:1 (ESV) Freedom is one of the greatest gifts Christ purchased for us through His death and resurrection. Yet many believers continue to live as though they are still imprisoned by shame, fear, condemnation, or the weight of trying to earn God’s approval. We know Jesus saved us, but we sometimes forget what He saved us into. The New Covenant is not merely abou

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.” — Isaiah 40:31 (ESV) Every season brings different demands. Summer often carries one pace, while fall introduces another. Responsibilities shift, routines change, and new opportunities appear. Sometimes we look ahead wondering whether we have enough strength for what’s coming. The good news of the gospel is that God never asks us to produce strength He has already promised to supply. Isaiah writes: “They who wait fo

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 (ESV) As summer begins to fade and a new season approaches, many of us feel the pressure of transition. Schedules begin filling up, vacations come to an end, school starts, ministries become busy again, and work demands increase. Even good transitions can leave our hearts feeling weary. Yet Jesus never intended for His people to live from exhaustion. Under the New Covenant, rest is not

Have you ever looked around at everyone else’s life and wondered why yours feels hidden? It can seem like people around you are launching ministries, receiving promotions, writing books, starting businesses, or stepping into exciting new seasons while you are still praying, waiting, healing, and wondering what God is doing. If you have ever asked, “Lord, why does it feel like nothing is happening?” you are not alone. But what if more is happening than you can see? What if thi

Seeking God’s attention is unnecessary; you already have it. You need not prove your worth; He already did that. And you need not hide your quirkiness; He already knows it. “I have something for you!” my friend texted. Since it wasn’t my birthday or a holiday, I knew it had to be something she found and couldn’t resist on her recent vacation, something that made her think of me. Sure enough, it was a t-shirt with large flip-flops and the words “walk by faith” on it. She enclo

What if instead of fixating on the what-ifs, you consider even if? What if we affirm our faith in the One we know instead of dwelling on the fearful and unknown? Click here to listen to this devotional written and narrated by Cara Blondo. While mindlessly following the directions down a deserted road, my GPS navigator suddenly froze. It didn’t register the turn I had made, the road I was now on, or where to go next. I was in an unfamiliar and uninhabited area without a clue h