Scriptures: Exodus 34:6, Psalms 23:6, James 1:17

Believe God for Good Things

Sunrises. Sunsets. Belly laughter. Frosted brownies. A colorful salad. A fluffy pillow. Water to drink. Clothes to wear. Friends and family to love. New mercies every morning (Lamentations 3:22–23). Unending faithfulness at night. Eternal security. Moment-by-moment grace. Jesus alive in you. Jesus all around you. The promise of His presence and access to His power.

You’re not just blessed; you’re profoundly, abundantly, and lavishly cared for.

Imagine it: God the Father watches over you. He charges angels to intervene for you and protect you (Psalm 91:11-12).

Even so, it’s hard to see and enjoy the goodness of God when pain, loss, or heartache are all we feel. At times, I felt like I lived my life behind plexiglass. I could see God’s gifts, but I didn’t feel well enough to enjoy them. Pain compels us to look down. Faith invites us to look up.

It’s one thing to count your blessings. It’s far more powerful to attach each gift to a God who fiercely loves you. That takes some time, but it’ll change how you think and feel. For instance, consider the food you’ll eat today. You have choices about what to eat. You won’t go hungry today. Before you put a bite in your mouth, pause and thank God for providing such a gift to you in such a personal way. Train yourself to connect every morsel of food to a loving Father who provides for your needs. Over time, you’ll feel grateful for the simplest things.

Counting your blessings is better than complaining about your hardships. But holding each treasure before the Lord and acknowledging His very specific love for you? It’ll change your life. Why? Because with each gift you notice comes a message to your heart that your heavenly Father sees you, knows you, loves you, and has promised to take good care of you.

When you train your thoughts and your gaze to look for the gifts from God’s hand, you’ll start to believe—down deep in your bones—that you not only have a history with God, but you have a future with Him too. It’s impossible for Him to fail you.

Good and gracious Father, thank You for the countless ways You provide for me. Things I notice and things I miss. Things I cherish and things I take for granted. You’re intimately involved with my life, and I can trust You. Amen.

Scriptures: Ephesians 2:10, Ephesians 3:20, Psalms 37:4

Dare to Dream 

Many years ago, I sat in a managers’ meeting in the health club where I worked, while one of our VPs led us through a training exercise. He said, “Picture yourself at the end of your life. You’re ninety-five years old, on your deathbed, and you’re looking back over your life journey. Take out your notepad and write this statement at the top of the page: ‘I wish I would have.’ Then finish that sentence as many times as you need to.” He stepped away from the podium and gave us time to think about our answers. I didn’t need to think about it. I put my pen to the paper and wrote, “I wish I would have written a book.” 

I’d been through a lot. God had been so faithful. Yet I felt myself drifting. I was no longer in crisis. But neither was I taking steps toward the God-given longing of my heart. When there’s no vision in our hearts, there’s no purpose in our steps. And when there’s no purpose in our steps, we drift to lesser things that drain the vitality right out of life. 

I went home to my husband, Kev, with a new fire: and we made plans to make this dream happen. 

Regarding God’s promises, He invites us to engage with Him consistently. Stress doesn’t exhaust us; stress without purpose does. It’s not waiting for the breakthrough that drains us; it’s passively waiting without activating our faith that robs us. We’re wired for tenacious, hope-filled, purposeful faith. Allow me to put it this way: What are you believing God for?

Anyone who’s adventured to step out in faith knows this: when we finally dare to dream, opposition arises. But we can put up with a lot when we know we’re on God’s best path for us. 

Not every desire in our heart is God-given. But many are. If you walk intimately with God and treasure His Word in your heart, He’ll shape your desires to match His desires for you. He’ll prepare you to steward the dream. He’ll confirm His will and way to you repeatedly. When You delight in Him first and foremost, He will always establish you in His perfect will and timing. 

Father, help me pray for and believe for things that only You can accomplish. I’m Your vessel. Flow freely and powerfully through me. Amen.

Scriptures: Proverbs 18:21, Proverbs 31:26, Mark 11:23-24

Believe and Therefore Speak 

I’ve struggled for more than three decades with daily symptoms of Lyme disease. Yet God has ignited more healing in these past couple of years than in all the other years combined. He’s gone after the buried trauma that kept me bracing for impact. 

To be honest, I’m clunky at this healing. One moment, you’ll find me testifying to something miraculous God did within me, and the next (if you find me on an off day), I’ll sigh and sometimes sob over these dumb symptoms that never seem to go away. Yet God continues to call me higher and deeper regarding my words. He showed me that our words are seeds that go into the ground and sprout in due time. I’ve planted both flowers and weeds. I want more flowers. 

Again, this idea of speaking faithful words sometimes morphs into something extrabiblical. We don’t dictate to God. He dictates to us. He’s not a means to an end. He’s the Alpha and Omega—the beginning and the end (Revelation 21:6-7). We’re at His beck and call, not the other way around. 

But didn’t Jesus tell us to speak to our mountains? 

Though I can’t explain why complete physical healing has taken so long for me (while others get an instantaneous miracle), I can say that I’m literally infused with power when I remember God’s promises and then roar them over my life on a regular basis. I’m planting a garden of truth all around me! 

God wants us to know what Jesus won for us. He wants us to rehearse His promises and to remember that though we see many hardships in this life, there are significant benefits to being a child of God. 

Even though you can’t possibly use up all God has provided or fathom the fullness of His love, why don’t you try? Imagine yourself swimming in the ocean of His goodness! He’s made it available to you. Saturate yourself in His holy provision. Start speaking to the obstacles in your life. Tell your body to heal, your mountains to move, and your enemy to be gone, in Jesus’ name. 

Mighty Redeemer, show me what I believe, and then tell me what’s true. Infuse my words, empower my prayers, and energize my steps with mountain-moving faith. Amen.

Scriptures: Psalms 23:1-3, Psalms 30:1-5, Psalms 147:3-4

Keep Walking; Keep Believing

How do we live with joyful assurance when some of the longings of our hearts remain unfulfilled? Is it possible to walk in the abundance of God while you wait for the promises of God? Yes, I believe it is. But not without utter honesty and holy dependence.

Holding onto God’s goodness while we wait for Him to deliver on His promises is not for the faint of heart. And there are no tidy answers to the pain and heartbreak we endure. Yet God wants in on all of it. He wants access to every part of our story, even the days—especially those days—when we’re so hurt by His delays that we want to run away.

So what do we do? We sincerely bring our story to our loving Father. We believe with all our hearts that He cares deeply and is already moving on our behalf. We know that our tender vulnerability and trust mean something to God. Our faith is precious to Him.

Does God care about all our suffering and stresses? Yes. With all my heart, I know He does. And He manages the universe at the same time.

He wants us to acknowledge our lament, which is a holy exercise, vastly different from self-pity. Then He helps us find that sweet spot of remembrance and expectancy.

How do we walk in the fullness of God’s love while we wait for the fulfillment of His promises? We remember what we possess in Christ Jesus right now. We revel in the assurance that we have an eternity with God, and no demon in hell can snatch it from us. We realize that while we walk this earth, we live in the now and the not yet. We lean hard on the Lord. We envision God’s intervention. We get a picture of what healing might look like for us. We rejoice in God’s goodness, and we keep walking. And we keep believing.

Loving Father, thank You for being so attentive to the places in me that still hurt. I know that healing often happens in layers. Help me trust You in the meantime. Amen.

Scriptures: Psalms 43:5, 2 Corinthians 4:13, Matthew 11:28-30

Tell Yourself a Better Story

I believe one of the leading causes of exhaustion and procrastination is the story we tell ourselves. I marvel at how many times I’ve caught myself talking myself right into a funk. Maybe I didn’t sleep well the night before. Even so, I got enough sleep to function. I started the day rehearsing, “I’m exhausted” and carried it throughout the day. I’m sure you can imagine what kind of day I had.

One day I realized what I was doing and changed the story. I took inventory of the energy and grace I did possess and went after my day with gusto. It turned out to be a great day, and surprisingly, when I quit saying I was exhausted, I realized I actually felt pretty good.

What had I been telling myself up to this point? I’m exhausted. This is too much. I hate these symptoms. Will they ever end? My inbox is impossible. I’m stuck. I’ll never get ahead of this task list. Will I ever have energy again?

My goodness, it’s embarrassing to admit such defeatist thinking. But that’s where I was when exhaustion overtook me.

Then I decided to pull God’s promises closer than my problems, and my confessions started to sound like, I am strong and mighty in the Lord! I am energized to do all He’s given me to do! I get to do the work of the Lord, and I will do it with all my heart. I’ll do my best and trust Him with the rest. It’s the Lord who fulfills His purposes for me.

I don’t have words to describe the difference it made when I lined up my script with God’s story for me.

How about you? Are you tired and weary? First, run to Jesus.

Trust Jesus for the energy and the rest you need. And ask Him to show you a better way to tell your story, a better way to speak about your life when the waves crash against you. Pull His promises closer than your problems. In due time, you’ll be walking on the water with Him.

Precious Father, You are writing a beautiful story with my life. Help me hear the song You’re singing over me even now. I will declare Your goodness over my life today! Amen.