Devotions

[Pipsqueak]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/01/10/jesus-doesnt-have-favorites?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=200182293&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8qiRmMkbKB7GcsyMAxFBeFK2P_LD02K9HRXn0mbNrM5KB1Flf5zrhVmcgXspKx7phs40TnvO7-Adj-zF3JsUJpuzbNzw&utm_content=200182293&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

Jesus Doesn't Have Favorites
January 10, 2022

January 10, 2022
by Trillia Newbell

"My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory." James 2:1 (ESV)

Partiality: It's little spoken about, but we know how it feels, and when we stop to think about it, we know how corrosive it is.  I have experienced partiality an unfair bias against someone — in one way or another all of my life. As a kid, I remember being left out from birthday parties. I remember overhearing girls talking about how annoyed they were with me because of my generally joyful attitude. And I have had to experience all my life what it feels like to be excluded simply because I am a Black woman.  We can feel a sense of shame, wondering, Is there something wrong with me?

We all know the answer, but when we are hurt, our assurance can become clouded by our false thoughts.  If your heart is hurting today from partiality, I want to say I'm genuinely sorry for the pain favoritism has caused you. But please know that, even if there are people in your life who play favorites against you, Jesus never will.  While I know how it feels to be on the wrong side of this kind of favoritism, I know I'm not immune from displaying it, too. It's so natural to do. All of us will naturally play favorites, preferring those who are like us, or who can do something for us, over those who are not like us or who we perceive have less to offer. Our children and the children around us fight the same temptation to play favorites.  Thankfully, Jesus shows us a better way a way of love.  In the Bible, James' particular focus is partiality based on socioeconomic differences, but the application of the principle is broad. Our key verse contains not just the challenging command but the key to obeying it: "My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ" (James 2:1, emphasis added).

I need to hold to my faith, and my faith reminds me that Jesus did not, and does not, have favorites. That's such good news for all of us! Not only did He die for anyone who would believe, but also He interacted with all sorts of people. Here is our ultimate example of love, a love that knows no limits.  This is countercultural. God turns everything on its head. He inspires us and invites us to love others as He loves us. When we love someone who isn't like us and has little to offer us, instead of showing partiality toward them, we're loving like Jesus. We're showing them Jesus.  As a mom, I have a glorious opportunity to live this out in front of my kids. No child has to be shown how to spot differences, make fun of others or exclude others from their games. As we welcome others, we get to teach our kids how the Lord chooses to love them, and we get to show our kids what it looks like to love others who aren't like them.  Jesus doesn't have favorites, and He calls us to choose to love in the way He does. That's a glorious calling!

[Pipsqueak]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/01/11/our-father-is-on-his-way?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=200184146&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--N3lJvySuqq54luoAF5sT3CDvsbtXq28_W-DvTnTkfIJnn4YRQAoc2MRWCVV12qnwlj40KW9TF0dRgpvyvsD__1Tq5sw&utm_content=200184146&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

Our Father Is on His Way
January 11, 2022

by Dr. Derwin L. Gray

"Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear." Isaiah 65:24 (HCSB)

On June 17, 1996, a beautiful, brown-eyed girl came into my life when our daughter, Presley, was born. And then on August 22, 2000, our son, Jeremiah, was born.  "Daddy" is a powerful word. At its best, the word describes the man you look to for love, courage and wisdom. But many of us didn't receive that ideal from our earthly fathers. In fact, maybe some of us instead found hatred and fear in our earthly fathers.  So when I became a father, I felt a mixture of happiness and fear.  Would I be able to protect my children from this fallen world?

Would I be someone they run to or someone they run from?

When Jeremiah was about 3, he started having nightmares that would cause him to wake up crying. As his dad, I wanted to protect and comfort him. I wanted him to know he was safe in my arms.  A friend invited my family to stay at his cabin in the North Carolina mountains. My wife Vicki and I slept in the master bedroom while the kids slept in another room. Late one night, Jeremiah let out a terror-filled scream. Coming out of a deep sleep, I bounced out of my bed, sprinted to his room and held him in my arms. I reassured him, "Daddy is here. I've got you, son."

The sound of his cries compelled me to go into rescue mode. When my children cry, I hear them. I am on my way.  If this is true of me, an imperfect earthly father, it is enormously truer for our Father in heaven.  When we cry out to God as we're instructed to in the Lord's Prayer, which starts with "Our Father," we are not praying to a distant, uninvolved, abstract thing called "god." We are praying to the living God, our Father who "abound in faithful love" (Psalm 86:15, CSB). We are crying out to a protective Daddy who is full of love, courage and wisdom.

And His answer is always, "Daddy is here. I've got you."

Our heavenly Father is not a deadbeat dad.

He is near. (Psalm 145:18; Psalm 34:18; James 4:8)
He is present. (Exodus 33:14; Psalm 138:7; Matthew 28:20)
His concern for us touches our biggest problems and smallest details. (1 Peter 5:7; Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:6-7)
He hears our cries before we ever speak a word. (Psalm 34:17; 1 John 5:14-15; Isaiah 65:24)

"Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear." (Isaiah 65:24)

If your earthly father is someone who has caused you tremendous pain, I am so, so sorry. But please know today that, no matter what kind of men our earthly fathers are, our heavenly Father fills in all the gaps where our earthly fathers fail. Our heavenly Father is eagerly waiting for us to call to Him, waiting to come to our rescue.  When we cry out to our Father in prayer, we discover three things:

    Prayer is the secret place where we find God waiting for us.
    Prayer is the door we enter to discover God's heart of unending grace.
    Prayer is the home we have always wanted, where we can crawl into our Father's lap and find our purpose.

Do you need to cry out to your Father today? Do you desperately desire rescue and His peaceful, protecting presence?

Daughter, He's already on the way.

[Pipsqueak]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/01/17/the-god-who-helps-us-begin-again?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=200474886&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_sI9tiZnJHQNLtAsHTYtLlBlUkNkeZ-tG9eGjNbBF-ZtSHopxLeTa4nIjA122BrmP3cVH8JLK_M6PTqYdMXDmiE7Ms_A&utm_content=200474886&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

The God Who Helps Us Begin Again
January 17, 2022

by Kia Stephens

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

 had a specific plan for my Wednesday afternoon.  Pick up my kids from school. Take one child to basketball practice. Drop off the other child at a friend's house. Get gas, pick up the kids and go home.  My margin was small. I had very little time to squeeze anything additional into my day and then the unexpected happened. I had a car accident!  So many factors influenced my emotions at that moment. The accident was my fault. It came at a difficult financial time for my family. I still needed gas. The clock was ticking. This was not supposed to be a part of my Wednesday.  This unplanned mishap caused all of my most recent blunders to resurface in my mind and join forces against me. Soon, I found myself spiraling into a deep well of discouragement. This was another thing I did not have time for.  After the truck I slid into drove off, I went to a grocery store parking lot, rested my head on my steering wheel and sobbed. It was simultaneously a cry for mercy in what felt like a long season of difficulty and a cry for help.  Everything in me felt stuck, reliving the moment just before the accident. Thoughts that did not change my circumstance swirled around my brain. If I had just slowed down in the intersection, I could have avoided this catastrophe. This is a complete disaster. I wish it hadn't happened.  None of these thoughts were productive, nor were they capable of changing the reality of my accident.  Sometimes life makes us feel stuck or too messed up to begin again.  Broken relationships appear irreparable.  Life's failures seem insurmountable.  Unexpected mistakes feel overwhelming.  When we find ourselves in this place, we can remind ourselves of the truth found in God's Word: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Here in 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul reminds us we don't have to be stuck in our mistakes because we have been made new in Christ Jesus. Originally, he was writing to the new Christians in Corinth. These Corinthians, who became Christians because of Paul's message, struggled with true freedom in Christ because of the powerful secular and pagan influences in Corinth.  Paul reminds the Corinthian Christians, just as he reminds us today, that when we place our hope in Jesus Christ we are made new. Everything about us is made new, including our perspective. Our relationship with Christ will not enable us to change our past, but it will make our future new in Him. Whereas we may have previously felt tethered to our mistakes, God says, I will give you a new lens with which to view your life.  Christ says mistakes in your life do not define you; He does. Though you may have failures in your past, there is hope in your future. You can start over. Whether it is a relationship, a bad habit or a terrible mistake — no matter what it is, you can begin again.  This was true for me on that Wednesday afternoon, and it is true for you today. I dried my eyes, pulled out of the parking lot, got gas, picked up my kids and went home.  My day did not go the way I planned it, but God already knew it wouldn't. He had a perfect plan that encompassed the imperfect events of my life. He has done the same for you, too.  We do not have to be stuck in the mistakes of our past; we can begin again and embrace the hope of our future.

[Pipsqueak]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/01/18/getting-honest-enough-to-admit?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=200475896&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8m5I6P1PsisPGiH5icH-nNMT2frE4A3MofncWndQ8s66kKRauyRcG9O1hhfEYAYqNpU3Efvhq6CZT1hBZh9M96pBiAug&utm_content=200475896&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

Getting Honest Enough To Admit ...
January 18, 2022

by Lysa TerKeurst

"Listen to my words, LORD, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly." Psalm 5:1-3 (NIV)

Rolling over, I looked at the clock. Another day. Beyond all reason and rationality, I slid out of bed and stripped off everything that might weigh even the slightest ounce as I headed to the scale.  I thought, Maybe today will be the day the scale will be my friend and not reveal my secrets. Maybe somehow overnight the molecular structure of my body shifted, and today I will magically weigh less.  Yanking out my ponytail holder they, it's gotta weigh something I decided to try again. But the scale didn't change its mind the second time. It was not my friend this day.  Vowing to do better, eat healthier and make good choices, I headed to the kitchen only to have my resolve melt like the icing on the cinnamon rolls my daughter just pulled from the oven. Oh, who cares what the scale says when this roll speaks such love and deliciousness?

Two-and-a-half cinnamon rolls later, I decided tomorrow would be a much better day to keep my promises to eat healthier.  But tomorrow wasn't the day.  Or the next.  Or the next.  Of course, I knew I needed to make changes. Because this wasn't really about the scale or what clothing size I was; it was about this battle that raged in my heart. I thought about, craved and arranged my life too much around food. So much so, I knew it was something God was challenging me to surrender to His control. Surrender to the point where I'd make changes for the sake of my spiritual health perhaps even more than my physical health.  I had to get honest enough to admit it: I relied on food more than I relied on God. I craved food more than I craved God. Food was my comfort. Food was my reward. Food was my joy. Food was what I turned to in times of stress, sadness and even in times of happiness.  This battle would be hard. But through it all, I determined to make God, rather than food, my focus. Each time I craved something I knew wasn't part of my healthy eating plan, I used that craving as a prompt to pray. I craved a lot. So I found myself praying a lot.  Sometimes I wound up on the floor of my closet, praying with tears running down my face. And I gave myself permission to cry, just like the psalmist in Psalm 5:1-3: "Listen to my words, LORD, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly."

That is what I did each day. Laid my requests before God and waited in expectation. Moment by moment, week by week, month by month, I made the conscious (and, many times, painful) choice to surrender my desires to the transformative power that the Lord wanted to work in and through my life.  Then, one morning, it finally happened. I got up, and for the first time in a long while, I felt incredibly empowered. I still did the same crazy routine with the scale, no clothes, no ponytail holder. The numbers hadn't changed much, but my heart had. One day of victory tasted better than any of that food I'd given up ever could. I had waited in expectation, using prayer as my guide, and I did it.  Have there still been hard moments after that victorious morning?

Yes. Have there also been great signs of progress? Absolutely!  I can't promise you there won't be any more tears. There will. And I can't promise the scale magically drops as quickly as you wish it would. It probably won't. But it will be a start.  A really good start.

[Cocobean]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/02/03/the-sound-of-dropping-rocks?_hsmi=201767890&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-963-nHQtxDcQgdGpR1mYpeJ73Cu39K_uLi3Ostv0hatltueOJXADyAoOehHkmGy89m5TeYF0q-IZDBYv3cy5354eiQtQ#disqus_thread

The Sound of Dropping Rocks
February 3, 2022

by Sharon Jaynes

"... 'Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.'" John 8:7 (NIV)

I sat across the table from a broken friend. Her life was scattered on the coffee shop floor like spilled grounds from the bean grinder. She had made some bad decisions that had cost her so much. She wondered if God could forgive her and if she could move forward through the sludge.  As I comforted and listened to my friend, my mind went back to the scene in the book of John when the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to where Jesus was teaching a crowd.  After catching her in the act, the Pharisees dragged her half-dressed to where Jesus was in the temple courts.  As they slung her at Jesus' feet, they posed a question: "In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" (John 8:5, NIV).

The Pharisees weren't just trying to condemn this woman; they were trying to find a reason to condemn Jesus, too.  To those looking on, it might have appeared that Jesus was caught between a rock and a hard place. But they didn't realize that, since Jesus is the Rock, there is no hard place He can't handle.  I'm sure it confused them a bit when Jesus stooped to write in the dirt with his finger. Finally, He answered:  "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her" (John 8:7).

Jesus uncovered their own hearts and left them exposed and spiritually naked before the crowd. Each man standing knew his own life was riddled with sin. The prophet Isaiah, whose writings they knew very well, wrote: "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way ..." (Isaiah 53:6, NIV).

For a man to throw a stone and thus imply that he was without sin would have been the greatest heresy of all.  Isn't it interesting that the only person qualified to throw a stone at the woman is the One who set her free?

It's easy to smirk at those self-righteous, pious Pharisees and think, Ha! Take that! But what about you and me? When is the last time we "threw a stone" at someone? Probably not a literal stone but perhaps a stone-hard, judgmental attitude tossed someone's way?

Maybe we didn't say a word to that person, but when we found out their sin, we gossiped about them or condemned them in our thoughts.  But even the smallest stone is too heavy for us to carry. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God ..." (Romans 3:23, NIV)

The Pharisees brought the woman to be condemned, but Jesus freed her by extending grace. The accusers came to Jesus in self-righteous superiority, but they skulked away in self-defeated shame. The religious leaders threw her down into the dirt. Jesus looked at her with compassion and lifted her up. The accusers became the accused. They came feeling "better-than," but that's not how they left.  The woman caught in adultery stood before Jesus in disgrace but was met with divine grace.  Even though there was a crowd watching, Jesus zoomed in on the one hurting soul who needed His attention. One woman who felt incredibly less-than because of her past mistakes and failures just like you and me.  Whether our sin is adultery or not, we all have pages of our stories that we'd like to rip out, sentences we'd like to block out and chapters we'd like to throw out. But know this, sister: The splinter of your story that you hate the most does not define the entire narrative no matter how bad it is. Because of grace, you are more than your worst pages.  My friend was heartbroken over her sin, and so was I. But I had to wonder: Am I as heartbroken over my own sins?

My sins may be different, but they are no less hurtful to God's heart. Yet God's forgiving grace is greater than all of them.  Across the coffee shop table, my friend asked God to forgive her, and He responded with grace. It's the same with you and me. John wrote, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9, NIV).

When it comes to God's forgiveness, His is the stone not thrown. May that be the kind of grace we extend to others  knowing it's that same grace we've received, too.

[Sapphire]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/02/18/help-for-my-doubting-heart?_hsmi=203296220&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8OIqsV_ggrltCQCvxnRiFBmjjRLgTs4dyuZxFAhK5OivlHKM7f4g5S7b1V0axCEjHuwuvtMaMD6nUkYoTnzeEgomxM_A#disqus_thread

Help for My Doubting Heart
February 18, 2022

by Lynn Cowell

"Then Jesus told him, 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'" John 20:29 (NIV)

When I want to talk to the Lord, a walk helps me get the conversation rolling. But on one particular day, even though my feet were moving forward, my heart was struggling to move that same direction. Though I was trying to pray, there were so many rumblings in my head that I couldn't concentrate on what I wanted to say. Doubt just kept coming against every word my mind tried to form.  Sometimes I struggle to believe. It's like my heart and mind have amnesia. I see my current trouble. I feel the weight of disappointment, and it suppresses all the memories of when Jesus has helped me.  Momentarily I forget my history with Him. I forget all the times He has been faithful, good and kind.  Like when He brought my husband into my life.  When He moved me to a place with new opportunities.
When He brought me a new friend, who is now an old one.  And most importantly, when He called me His friend and brought me to salvation in Him.  The list of His faithfulness to me would fill a bookcase of journals. In fact, it has. My journals record our history together.  Yet even with all of this history, I can briefly forget who I know my Savior to be. Consistent, faithful, powerful and perfect. He has proven He is the almighty Son of God.  I can be a bit like Thomas in John 20:25: "So the other disciples told him, 'We have seen the Lord!' But he said to them, 'Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe'" (NIV). Thomas already had a history of seeing Jesus' miracles time and time again; it's like he, too, forgot who he already knew Jesus to be.  Then comes Jesus, intentionally reaching out to the doubting disciple: "Then [Jesus] said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe'" (John 20:27, NIV).

Like He did for Thomas, Jesus has grace for you and me in our days of doubting. He doesn't judge us or punish us when our faith wavers. He does, however, call us lovingly: "... blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29).

I want to be blessed for believing.  I think you do, too. It's one reason you're reading this devotion. It's why you talk to Him in prayer and seek to learn more about His ways. You want to believe. So, though we wrestle sometimes with doubt, we don't give up believing.  As I continued my walk, I moved my heart one step forward by breathing in deeply and breathing out my doubt. My fear of the future. My anger, frustration and sadness.  I breathed in again, asking the Holy Spirit Comforter, Helper and Teacher to come and uphold my shaky heart. To stabilize my faith with my own memories of His goodness as well as His Word, where He has shown Himself faithful to countless men and women of God.  Shiphrah and Puah, (Exodus 1) Miriam and Jochebed, (Exodus 2) Deborah and Jael, (Judges 4) Abigail (1 Samuel 25) and Rahab (Joshua 2) are just a few women in the Bible who had reasons to doubt yet saw His faithfulness in the middle of their troubles.  I, too, will look for Him moving in extraordinary ways even in my ordinary days. We can intentionally look for evidence that He is with us and He is at work, no matter what doubt tries to say.

[Sapphire]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/02/21/the-one-offer-thats-not-too-good-to-be-true?_hsmi=203699185&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-83f4fIc8OGxJI5KYbYkNodNjPK0hlTWi6JHFvyaz-yAzxbTUUGWcicKeGN7MqSvclrzBg9m4O0JCn88ajd56XTOG3Sew#disqus_thread

The One Offer That's Not Too Good To Be True
February 21, 2022

by Max Lucado

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 (NIV)

"Free flight: Rio de Janeiro to Miami, Florida."

I wasn't the only person to hear about the offer but was one of the few to phone and request details. The courier service offered an airline ticket to anyone willing to carry a bag of mail to the United States from Brazil, where I was living at the time.  The deal was tantalizingly simple: Meet the company representative at the airport, where you'll be given a duffel bag of documents, and one ticket. Check the bag when you check in for the flight. Retrieve the bag in Miami before you make your connection. Give it to the uniformed courier representative who'll await you beyond customs.  No company makes such offers anymore. But this was 1985 years before intense airport security. My dad was dying of ALS in the U.S., and airline tickets were expensive; my checking account was as thin as a sheet of paper. Free ticket?

The offer sounded too good to be true.  So I walked away from it.  Many do the same with John 3:16. Millions read the verse. Only a handful trust it. Wary of a catch, perhaps?

Not needy enough, maybe? Cautioned by guarded friends?

I was. Other Rio residents saw the same offer. Some read it and smelled a rat. "Don't risk it," one warned me. "Better to buy your own ticket."

But I couldn't afford one. Each call to Mom brought worse news.  "He's back in the hospital."

"Unable to breathe without oxygen."

"The doctor says it's time to call hospice."

So I revisited the flyer. Desperation heightened my interest. Doesn't it always?

When he asks for a divorce or she says "It's over."

When the coroner calls, the kids rebel or the finances collapse. When desperation typhoons into your world, God's offer of a free flight home demands a second look. John 3:16 morphs from a nice verse to a life vest.  Some of you are wearing it. You can recount the day you put it on. For you, the passage comforts like your favorite blanket:  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

These words have kept you company through multiple windswept winters. I pray they warm you through the ones that remain.  Others of you are still studying the flyer. Still pondering the possibility, wrestling with the promise. One day wondering what kind of fool offer this is, and the next wondering what kind of fool would turn it down.  I urge you not to. Don't walk away from this one. Who else can get you home? Who else has turned His grave into a changing closet and offered to do the same with yours? Take Jesus' offer. Get on board. You don't want to miss this chance to see your Father.  I didn't. I called the company and signed up. My wife, Denalyn, drove me to the airport. I found the courier employee, accepted the passage, checked the bag and took my seat on the plane smiling as though I'd just found a forgotten gift under the Christmas tree.  Do likewise. You don't need to go to the airport, but you do need to make a move. You need to give God your answer: "... Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in" (Ephesians 3:17, MSG). Say yes to Him. Your prayer needs no eloquence, just honesty.

[Topaz]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/03/01/divorce-doesnt-have-to-break-you?_hsmi=204767238&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8Xb2KuEcYWLYRT_UJMqJrWodKNRGywL3MF-mQfwGWT-lqORe-AeDFHOlqWgWtivAAg2EMQvPTH6FMpkyTfq5PzuKalbA#disqus_thread

Divorce Doesn't Have To Break You
March 1, 2022

by Tracie Miles

"But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the faithfulness of God forever and ever." Psalm 52:8 (NASB)

I aimlessly scrolled through social media, hoping it would get my mind off of my own problems. But it actually did quite the opposite.  It seemed every few posts someone was celebrating a milestone marriage anniversary with smiling faces and hugging couples. Or they were posting about how God had restored their marriage in some way, or sharing an epistle of how blessed they were to be married to such an amazing person.  Don't get me wrong I totally believe in the sacred covenant of marriage. I absolutely love seeing couples in love, and healthy marriages lasting through thick and thin over the years. I am incredibly happy for all those who have persevered through rough times and, through prayer and faith, knitted their marriages back together and are living "happily ever after."

But what about those of us who didn't get our fairy-tale endings?

Those whose marriages ended in heart-wrenching divorces with no answered prayers for reconciliation?

Those of us who were left feeling betrayed, tossed aside, traumatized and broken despite our best efforts?

During the first few years of my separation and divorce, I wrestled with these questions and many more while leaning into my faith and working tirelessly to put my shattered heart and my life back together. But one day, God finally helped me realize something.  Just because my marriage didn't work, that didn't mean I had to feel broken, live a broken life and assume I would never be happy again. Although earthly relationships can add to our happiness, they should never be what determines it.  I was reading through the psalms and came across Psalm 52:8: "But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the faithfulness of God forever and ever."

In this passage, we find David comparing himself to an olive tree. I couldn't help but wonder why he did this when he clearly felt broken and in despair, so I began to do a little research.  At the time David wrote this particular psalm, he was an exile from the house of God; his life had turned upside down. It's not far-fetched to guess that desolation filled his spirit. Yet we see his faith and confidence soaring despite his troubles, and instead of letting his situation break him, he compared himself to a sturdy olive tree.  These trees are the longest-living trees on earth and can prosper for hundreds of years, living in all kinds of soil, from rocky to soft. Even if an olive tree is chopped down, it is tenacious, having the ability to grow massive roots and regenerate from the ground up. Olive trees are also fruitful, and due to their stability and perseverance, they continue to blossom even in grave conditions.  David believed that, despite his circumstances, he was much like an olive tree. He could trust in God's faithfulness to give him the strength, courage and confidence to persevere. Even though he didn't understand his suffering, he believed his future was secure with God. He trusted in the hope promised by his heavenly Father and found joy in knowing he would not only survive but one day would flourish and be happy again.  In this one short verse, we see that David didn't let his circumstances break him but instead chose to hold his head up high. He accepted his reality even if he didn't like it, understand it or deserve it, and he refused to be broken by hardship.  Separation and divorce are not realities anyone wants to have. Yet the truth is that not all struggling marriages end in reconciliation. But the end of a marriage is never the end of our story, and God's promises for joy and flourishing are the hope that holds us together when we feel like the broken pieces of our heart and life are crashing down around us.  A broken marriage doesn't render us broken. We all have the power in Christ to be like the olive tree and begin again, from the ground up, when life knocks us down. The key is being ready to be whole again and taking positive steps forward in faith to make that happen.

[Topaz]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/03/02/construction-underway?_hsmi=204769519&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8moKqqJMtPtu5gcIvmaaq_9ZN56RHujcGOwO2wvJhFnI2vqAIm442GLHg_6mHlTGDq-iA4J1KNhQKCXXADnwa-UQPRKw#disqus_thread

Construction Underway
March 2, 2022

by Corrie Gerbatz

"Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure." 1 John 3:2-3 (NIV)

Construction zones. We see them everywhere: orange cones, yellow caution signs, and hard hats milling around waving on, or holding up, traffic. I get it: Repairs are necessary. Improvements need to be made, and safer traveling routes are a good thing!  But if I'm being honest, anytime I roll up to a construction zone I immediately feel inconvenienced. Whether I'm late or on time, construction zones hamper my progress forward. And usually the "finished product" is almost impossible to visualize, making me often wonder if any progress is actually being made.  In recent months, I've been humbled with the realization that the mess on the roads is not so different from the mess of sin in my own heart. Piles of insecurities still need to be hauled off. Unexpected obstacles test my faith. Orange cones are still needed to divert me from harmful behaviors. Tangles of negative thoughts regularly seem to delay my progress, and quite honestly I feel discouraged and left wondering:

Why does this feel so hard?

Why am I still struggling with this?

Shouldn't I be farther along?

Maybe you can relate.  In the New Testament book of 1 John, the disciple John was writing a letter to believers who were bit of a mess themselves and in need of some spiritual encouragement.  These believers were a scattered Christian audience whose main problems were declining commitment, conformity to the world's standards, compromising of their faith, and belief in the lies of false teachers. These believers may have doubted their secure standing as children of God. Like us. They may have been frustrated that they were still struggling with sin and even wondering if change was possible. Like us.  John said to them: "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure." (1 John 3:2-3)

John's intentions were to put the believers back on track, encouraging and assuring them with truth. He lovingly reminded them that their transformation was a process: "what we will be has not yet been made known."

He reassured them that "when Christ appears, we shall be like him" complete. And friends, I think sometimes we, too, need to be reminded of these truths.  When we ask the Lord to be sovereign in our lives, we are instantly justified and deemed righteous before God. We are adopted as His children and destined for heaven. But until this life ends and we meet our heavenly Father, we go through the process of sanctification being cleansed of sin, purified in our hearts, developed in our faith and taught to walk in the ways of the Lord.  Loose translation: Our hearts are under construction. And when our construction zones are right in the middle of this sinful world and our sinful desires? Well, it's no easy task.  Thankfully, though, we're not alone in this soul renovation. The Lord has given us the Holy Spirit as Project Manager over our hearts. (Galatians 5:16-17) He is there to oversee the process, empower us to persevere and point us back to truth when we are feeling discouraged.

So if, today, you're feeling as though your heart is a bit of a mess, don't lose hope! The Lord is lovingly tending to the sanctifying repairs and improvements we need. Progress is being made. And wherever our roads may take us, we can confidently rest in the truth that when we meet our Father face to face, then we will finally be "finished products" pure and complete.

[LifeOfPi]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/10/06/the-difference-between-empathy-and-enabling?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=227758201&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8Ap8YbL9Z7SSEbaicD1PdO8anV82YFnyxqiOBDE7w7Aa106Cb8rXA_qEf03ni_0L6GplwFQLmZJWNPQuo-zGLRiwyxpQ&utm_content=227758201&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

The Difference Between Empathy and Enabling
October 6, 2022
by Lysa TerKeurst

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." Romans 12:15 (NIV)

I wrote in my journal recently: When I share biblical discernment with another adult I love very much, but then they go away and do the opposite, it's maddening. It's especially troubling if I can so easily see how their decisions will hurt them, but they shrug off my concerns.  It's like seeing a train barreling toward them, but they just sit on the tracks anyhow. My bottled-up wisdom in the midst of this chaos produces so much anxiety. My resulting reaction is not me being dramatic or overly emotional I'm simply trying to save this person's life!  But saving someone isn't possible if they don't agree they need to be saved. Even if I get them off the train tracks in this moment, they'll climb right back on them tomorrow.  I suspect you know this frustration as well.  So here's the hard truth: If your heart is more committed to change than the other person's is, you may delay the train wreck, but you will not be able to save them from it. And from what I've experienced, the more you keep jumping onto the tracks to try to rescue that person, it's only a matter of time before the train will run over you both.  I don't say that lightly. I say it lovingly because it's true. Truly sustainable, lasting change must come from inside a person's own heart, not from pressure exerted from the outside.  This doesn't mean I don't continue to care about that person, but it does mean I change my role and my job description. I want them saved, but I am not their Savior. They need Jesus. They need self-control. So I shift from efforts of control to efforts of compassion.  Compassion lets me love that person, empathize with their pain and acknowledge their side of things, even if I don't agree with them. And it still allows me to speak into a situation. But after I share my wisdom, my advice, my discernment I make the conscious choice not to rescue them in any way if they walk away and do the opposite.  I weep with them, and I rejoice with them. That's biblical our key verse today, Romans 12:15, gives those exact instructions. But weeping with them and rejoicing with them does not mean trying to take control of their out-of-control choices and behaviors.  We can forgive others. But we cannot control them. And we should not enable them.  How do we know when we've crossed over from weeping with others in healthy empathy to enabling them to make unhealthy choices?

My counselor, Jim Cress, says, "I am enabling someone when I work harder on their issues than they are working. I am enabling someone when I allow them to violate my boundaries without any consequences. I enable a person when I co-sign their unhealthy behavior by defending their wrong choices, making excuses for them, looking the other way, covering for them, lying for them or keeping secrets for them."

While we are affected by other people's actions, we are not held accountable for their actions. We are held accountable, though, for both our actions and our reactions. So we have to make sure to be honest about the effect someone else is having on us and only be around them as much as our reactions and actions have the capacity to handle.  Although it may seem counterintuitive, this is biblical love. Demonstrating biblical love means we seek each other's highest good.  We honor what is honorable. We make the hard choice to let another adult who has a pattern of wanting to be rescued over and over own their own consequences. We trust Jesus to be their Savior and ours, knowing He's the only One who can truly save.

[Sapphire]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/10/07/surrender-found-at-rock-bottom?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=227758299&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9NixJcm5rzCWTMTYdI_Z6Jh5rrnP4nuulUqyu1d9D-KPRAftE-QYF9LfyB6EsmXmFVEyGDu0pXF3xHTn2wjAgchNfNoQ&utm_content=227758299&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

Surrender Found at Rock Bottom
October 7, 2022
by Elizabeth Groff

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10 (ESV)

Ukraine, my birthplace. This country has seen the day I lost everything, and miraculously, it has seen the day hope entered my life again.  How could God teach me surrender in such circumstances?

Who else but God could use a shoebox to show that surrender is exactly where freedom is found?

My father died when I was only 1 year old. Unable to financially support us, my mother decided to move to a small village in the heart of Ukraine with my grandparents. The grief of losing my dad was too much for her, and she soon coped by turning to alcohol.  When my half-sister, Tanya, was born, my mother's presence in our lives grew scarce, so I had to grow up faster than other children my age. I found myself responsible for doing all the chores, helping with the livestock and raising my little sister.  Tanya was my whole world. Deep in my heart, I knew she deserved a better life than the one we were living. So at 7 years old, I grabbed her hand and we ran away.  We were quickly placed in an orphanage. For a while, we at least had each other. But Tanya's biological father eventually found us. He decided to take my little sister with him — but I wasn't his daughter. I was left behind. As her father took Tanya by the hand, her eyes flooded with hope and happiness. I realized the best I could do for her was to let her go. But in that abandonment, my world came crashing down.  That day, the day I lost everything, I was launched into dark devastation. It was hard to believe I could be loved after experiencing so much heartbreak and rejection. For two years, I lived hopeless at rock bottom — and that is where Jesus met me.  I still remember the day when I smiled again. All the orphans gathered in a big room, and here we were told how God loves us, and we were each given a shoebox gift with unique and colorful items inside. No strings attached. Hope entered my life through this unexpected, unconditional love shown to me. God wasn't leaving me at rock bottom; He met me right where I was, inviting me to become part of His family.  That was the moment when God began transforming me into the person He designed me to be. All I needed to do was trust Him by surrendering everything I was to Him. In that surrender, He nurtured my broken heart to renew it for His glory, replacing my bitterness with His tenderness.  Often in this world, we find ourselves at rock bottom, lacking all hope for goodness and joy. There are people all over the world who find themselves with nothing left to give. But God does not want to leave us there. He can use the simplest things a prayer, a friend, a shoebox gift to remind us that He meets us exactly where we are, ready to show us true joy in our surrender to Him.  Today, that shoebox I received still reminds me of God's calling on my life. He still reminds me that before His power can work through us, we must give up our reliance on the world and human abilities, stepping completely into His presence. Only when we deny ourselves and leave our worldly burdens at Jesus' feet are we able to live the life Christ has called us to live.  Wherever we are on life's journey, we can surrender at any time to our gentle Savior. Jesus came that we might "have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). Jesus transformed my rock bottom into an abundant life. He did miracles in bringing a family to adopt me, in directing my story toward His glory and in using a simple shoebox gift to bring hope into my life. Through all of this, I have realized that by surrendering my life for His sake, I have truly found life!  Often God uses us as instruments for His hope. May we be surrendered to Him and remind each other that even if we find ourselves at rock bottom, our God brings rivers from deserts, life from death, and turns shoebox gifts into gospel opportunities.

[Topaz]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/10/18/better-reactions-better-relationships?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=228995202&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-86z99uox1i7vuvfPAGGCdqPND2ZecUu29C-8ytbsh6hx88qSsWMuyatccw0FJGiS68SX_h77Y6HaWl25bO9ZKSTmbNcw&utm_content=228995202&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

Better Reactions, Better Relationships
October 18, 2022
by Lysa TerKeurst

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Proverbs 15:1 (NIV)

My heart raced when I saw their number pop up on my phone.  I had been avoiding a conversation with someone who had already made it known to me that they didn't see things the way I did. I just knew it was going to be hard and probably not go well.  Nothing in me wanted to have this conversation. I was beyond aggravated. Hurt. Angry. And tired of being misunderstood. Maybe you can relate.  I answered the call with only two goals in mind: to prove how right I was and how wrong the other person was.  How do you think that conversation went?

Not well.  This conflict happened many years ago, so the rush of emotion has dissipated, and now I can see more clearly how wrong my approach was.  One thing that has helped me over the years has been memorizing and making every effort to live out our key verse for today: "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" (Proverbs 15:1).

When I dug into the deeper meaning of the word "gentle" in this verse, I found that, in Hebrew, the word is rak. Rak is used 16 times in Scripture and relates to the quality of being tender, soft or delicate in substance. The connection with "answer" means our response should soothe and comfort the one listening to us.  This means that, as disciples of Jesus, we are called to exercise emotional restraint by giving gentle responses rather than harsh or painful ones. This enables us to turn away wrath instead of stirring it up, which only serves to cause further damage.  So how do we walk this out practically?

Even with maybe especially with some of our most challenging relationships?

I have found it helpful to ask myself three questions:

1. What part of this issue can I own and apologize for?

Often when conflict occurs, two people have two opposing narratives about the situation at hand. And usually there isn't one person who is perfectly right or all-the-way wrong. I'm not talking about owning things that aren't ours to take on. But if there is a part that's mine, I don't want to let pride keep me from doing what's right.  If I make peace with the part I need to own and apologize for before the conversation, there's a greater chance I'll stay calm in the conversation, and it's the only way I've ever seen the other person's heart soften. But if I enter in with a heart set on retaliation, Proverbs 15:18 reminds me it will result in conflict escalation: "A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention" (ESV).

2. How can I soften my heart toward this person so I honor them despite how they react?

This one is hard. Really hard. But I know hurting people often hurt people.  Usually the person with whom I'm having a conflict has some kind of past or current hurt feeding this issue in their life. Chances are, that hurt doesn't have anything to do with me, but it's adding to their emotional response in this conflict.  Softening my heart is easier if I can sympathize with the hurt I can't see. Again, if I can lay down my pride, honor will be my reward. Proverbs 29:23 reminds us, "Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor" (NIV).

3. Are there any necessary boundaries that may need to be implemented in this relationship?

If we continually find our emotions hijacked by repetitive conflicts or intense conversations in one particular relationship, it may be time to consider setting boundaries.

If this is new to you, I want you to know confidently that the purpose of boundaries isn't to push another person away. It's to help us fight for togetherness by defining what is and is not acceptable. We can do this all in a way that honors Jesus through displaying gentleness and kindness. Boundaries actually help us love others without losing the best parts of who we are in the process.  Your boundary should help set the stage so your emotions can stay more regulated, you can regain a sense of safety and you can feel more empowered to make any necessary changes. As you consider this, you may find it helpful to process with a trusted godly mentor or Christian counselor.  Conflict may be inevitable, but there is a way to pursue relational health and honor God in the middle of it all. I believe better reactions will lead to better conversations, better conversations will lead to better relationships, and better relationships will lead to better living.

[Topaz]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/10/19/what-a-girl-wants?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=228993633&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--pZT45KQwLU4GpB8fnNYebcO_OSYoJaxPY6vdv5gcOfIntN0fH24vLntMm8xekFBXLgfyMb3xTDAVtWKRdJtYB35tqkA&utm_content=228993633&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

What a Girl Wants
October 19, 2022
by Landra Young Hughes

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." Romans 12:1 (NIV)

Let's talk about reality TV.  OK, I know it might not be the best way to spend our time, and it definitely doesn't look much like my real life as a mom of little ones in a decidedly tropical-island-free Texas suburb.  No matter where you stand on reality TV, I think a lot of us may agree on one point a lot of shows just are not what they used to be. The happy ending isn't there anymore. It's all about the drama now the twist, the shocker, the cliff-hanger. But it's all so painfully staged and scripted.  Obviously, I'm still going to watch because I want to know what happens. But I also want my favorite show to go back to the way it was before when it was authentic. But chances are, that's not going to happen.  Isn't that how we're wired as humans?

To want what we want.  These impulses don't greatly affect our lives when it comes to the shows we binge, but what about when we want something with higher stakes? Our reactions to not getting what we want in high-stakes scenarios are a lot different than when our favorite show shifts plotlines.  In fact, we're driven by our want-tos. You might say, "Landra, I spend my entire day doing stuff I don't want to do." And on the surface, that might be true. But if you look deeper, you'll see that your don't-want-tos get overridden by a less obvious but more pressing want-to.  Let me give you some examples:

You don't want to work out, but you want to be in shape. So you work out.

You don't want to drop your kids off at day care, but you want to be able to work your job and pay your bills. So you drop them off.

You don't want to destroy the tradition of a long-standing TV show that many people are emotionally invested in, but you want to make money. So you destroy it with artificial drama.

See?

Our want-tos are a powerful driving force in our lives. But what happens when our want-tos are broken? We know it's possible. Even Paul said, "For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing" (Romans 7:19, NIV).

To keep our want-tos in line with God's, there must be intentionality in how much power we give to our own desires. Our biggest want-to the one that overrides all others has to be finding peace with His want-to.  And that takes surrender.  What does it look like to surrender?

To surrender is to lay down what is most precious to you your heart's desire and say to God, "It's Yours. If You give it back to me, I will praise You. If You don't give it back to me, I will still praise You."

After all, we are living sacrifices, and offering our want-tos and our very selves to God is true worship: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship" (Romans 12:1).

I have felt so confident on the paths my want‑tos have led me down. I've even felt "called" to places by my want-tos, only to find my way cut short by immovable obstacles.  But could it be that our momentary disappointment and discomfort in the face of an unfulfilled desire is, in fact, a small inconvenience compared to the danger ahead, which we can't see, that we'd face if that want‑to were fulfilled?

Let me say this: God is comfortable with our disappointment. In fact, He wants us to talk to Him about it. He wants to become our biggest want-to, and there are no lengths He won't go to in order to draw us closer to Him.

[Chyna]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/10/31/the-worlds-best-teacher?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=230624327&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-98B9BwtQzVkvDjP8SLTU49AB4U75-zxj2BG0K85saX084Pal9A_4W6aDyRA6jJGT9XJoVd4_eSgt3wicC-p2NQWk8ZvA&utm_content=230624327&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

The World's Best Teacher
October 31, 2022
by Max Lucado

"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:26 (NIV)

One afternoon early in my ministry, when I was supposed to be studying, I could not concentrate. I was in the throes of weariness, battling insomnia, a dozen insecurities and deadlines.  I was under the impression that I had to fix everyone's problems, shoulder everyone's burdens and never grow weary in doing so. After some moments, I moved from my office chair into the chair I used for guests. I bowed my head and sighed.  When I did, this scripture came to mind: "Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28, NASB).

I'd read the verse hundreds of times, but this particular time, it was the pronoun "Me" that struck me. I realized that I had been turning to everyone and everything but Him. The words of Jesus went from ink on a page to balm for my soul.  Why did that verse come to mind?

Simple. The Holy Spirit, my Teacher, reminded me.  The Spirit has a specific, overarching mission. His task is to teach us about Jesus. Jesus tells us in John 14:26, "the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

Is this not great news?

The Spirit who was present at creation, who was moving and active in Christ's incarnation and resurrection, and who will be present at the final return of Christ, the mighty hand at the final revelation He is your Tutor. The invisible presence of God on earth invites you to enter His classroom and learn from Him. He will reveal new and wondrous things to you and remind you of Jesus!  We are not left alone with our questions. It is not up to us to solve the riddles of our existence. We have a Helper, a divine Instructor. He will save us from our confusion and doubt. He does this by enrolling us in the primary course of His university: Jesus Christ.  So let's invite the Holy Spirit into our world. Let's begin our days with the words "Welcome, Holy Spirit!" and aim to walk in the Spirit by inviting Him into the details of our lives. "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV)

Let's allow these prayers to come quickly to our minds: In this moment, what are You teaching me?

Or, How am I to respond to this challenge, Lord?

Or, Direct me, please. Which way should I go?

Today, let's pause and listen and keep an ear inclined toward the Spirit.

[Chyna]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/11/02/what-if-our-pain-is-the-stage-for-miracles?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=230624476&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8Up_41R3xSiNKNPr1cXs43pHJbO3oBvdEBy_Jd5dmMqACLlnD7a8eBevTY5C3EsFG4GWlPIOzWK06iE4tQ7iZbA70ppg&utm_content=230624476&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

What if Our Pain Is the Stage for Miracles?
November 2, 2022
by Becky Keife

"He replied, 'What is impossible for people is possible with God.'" Luke 18:27 (NLT)

There was a time in my life when my parents couldn't be in the same room with each other.  As a kid, I'd wait on the wicker love seat and stare impatiently out the big picture window. As soon as my dad's black sedan pulled into the driveway, I'd race out the front door. Was I that excited to see my dad?

Honestly, not really. I was just that eager to avoid a possible confrontation between him and my mom.  There were a thousand spoken and unspoken hurts between my parents that spilled over into my heart.  I never longed for them to get back together I just wanted things to be different. I just wanted to escape the shrapnel of their pain.  Later, several verbal blowups, low blows, and family drama at my college graduation and wedding left me gutted. I wondered if it would always be like this.  I share this not as a catalog of grievances against my parents but to set the stage for the miracle I never expected.  Fast-forward several years to when my dad was in a really difficult place in his life. His second marriage had failed, as had his business and health. Thanksgiving was approaching. Holidays are always extra complicated for kids of divorce. My sisters and I were all married and had to juggle time with our in-laws and separate celebrations with Mom and Dad.  So you can imagine my surprise when, one day, my mom asked, "How would you feel if I invited your dad to join us for Thanksgiving?"

She went on to explain how she understood what a burden it was to navigate three family gatherings. She said she wasn't sure if Dad would accept an invitation from her, but she felt like the Lord was asking her to extend it.  Honestly?

My first thought was, No way! I pictured the awkwardness of being in the same house all together. I thought about how I would rather take the chaos of bouncing from one Thanksgiving meal to the next than the tension of sitting at the same table with both my parents. The family chasm caused by their divorce was way too wide to bridge with some mashed potatoes and gravy. Years of conflict and failed resolutions proved that reconciliation was impossible, right? So why even try?

Given our family history, this knee-jerk reaction was understandable but it was also rooted in fear. I'm grateful to tell you that my initial response didn't win out.  The first miracle was my mom inviting my dad to Thanksgiving dinner. The second miracle was the doorbell ringing and my dad showing up with a bottle of cider. The miracles after that were too many to count.  Jesus was clear when He said, "What is impossible for people is possible with God" (Luke 18:27).

This is true for our salvation and our sanctification, for our eternal hope and our present healing.  As little ones threw corn kernels from highchairs, and unspoken words passed in sideways glances between sisters, we made it through that shared Thanksgiving the first of many to come. Dad thanked Mom for inviting him and complimented her cooking. Mom thanked Dad for coming and gave him another piece of homemade pie to-go.  It was hard and uncomfortable and so very worth it. I left that dinner with a belly full of turkey and a heart full of praise. What I thought was surely impossible turned out not to be. From our pain, God produced a miracle and I'm still giving thanks to this day.