Category: Gratitude

  • Seek. Follow. Abide.

    Seek. Follow. Abide.

    Part 3 – Abide – Stay With Me

    “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me.” — John 15:4

    For the past two weeks, we’ve been walking together through one invitation from Jesus.

    First, we asked ourselves:

    What am I seeking?

    Then we asked:

    Will I follow where He leads?

    Now Jesus offers one final invitation—one that may be the most life-changing of all.

    Will you stay with Me?

    The word abide isn’t one we use very often. Depending on your Bible translation, it may also be translated as remain, continue, or simply stay.

    I love that word.

    Stay.

    There is something comforting about it. Something peaceful. Something deeply personal.

    Jesus isn’t inviting us into a destination. He’s inviting us into His presence.

    Our world loves movement.

    We celebrate promotions.

    New homes.

    New ministries.

    New adventures.

    Even in the church, we often applaud those who take bold steps of faith. We tell stories about missionaries who crossed oceans, believers who left successful careers to answer God’s call, and ordinary people who courageously stepped into the unknown.

    And we should.

    Those stories remind us that God still calls people to go.

    But I wonder…

    Do we celebrate the people who stay?

    The mother who faithfully loves her family every day.

    The caregiver who quietly serves without recognition.

    The believer who keeps praying long after others have given up.

    The friend who faithfully walks beside someone through a painful season.

    The person who continues to trust God even when nothing seems to be changing.

    Sometimes staying requires just as much faith as going.

    Sometimes it requires even more

    If we’re honest, many of us spend more time living in tomorrow than we do trusting God today.

    We wonder…

    What if this never changes?

    What if I fail?

    What if things get harder?

    Before we know it, we’ve carried tomorrow’s burdens into today’s heart.

    But Jesus gently calls us back.

    Stay with Me today.

    Stay another hour.

    Stay another day.

    God has never asked us to carry a lifetime of grace all at once. He gives us today’s grace for today’s needs.

    When tomorrow arrives, His grace will be there too.

    One of the things I love most about Jesus is that He never seemed to be in a hurry.

    He stayed long enough to heal those who came to Him.

    He stayed at a wedding and turned ordinary water into extraordinary wine.

    He stayed with children while others tried to send them away.

    He stayed with those society overlooked.

    He stayed long enough to forgive those who believed they had gone too far.

    He wasn’t rushing through life.

    He was fully present with every person the Father placed before Him.

    Love is never in a hurry.

    Neither is Jesus.

    One story has always challenged me.

    When Lazarus became sick, Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus.

    Surely He would come immediately.

    Instead, Scripture tells us that after hearing the news, Jesus remained where He was for two more days.

    To Mary and Martha, it must have felt like silence.

    Like delay.

    Like disappointment.

    But Jesus wasn’t absent.

    He wasn’t indifferent.

    He was trusting the Father’s perfect timing.

    Sometimes abiding means trusting God when we don’t understand His timing.

    Sometimes faith isn’t believing that God will hurry.

    It’s believing that He is never late.

    Jesus said,

    “I am the vine; you are the branches.”

    Branches don’t strain to produce fruit.

    They don’t anxiously compare themselves to other branches.

    They don’t worry about whether they’re doing enough.

    They simply stay connected to the vine.

    The life of the vine flows through the branch.

    The fruit is the natural result of the relationship.

    How often do we exhaust ourselves trying to produce what only Jesus can grow?

    Our culture tells us to try harder.

    Jesus tells us to stay closer.

    What a beautiful invitation.

    Over these past three weeks we’ve talked about seeking Jesus, following His call, and now abiding in His presence.

    I’ve come to realize something.

    Where you go isn’t nearly as important as where you stay.

    You may travel across the world or remain in your hometown.

    You may stand before thousands or quietly serve one person.

    You may be in a season of great joy or one of deep sorrow.

    Wherever life takes you, never leave the place where your soul finds life.

    Stay with Jesus.

    Remain in His Word.

    Rest in His love.

    Trust His timing.

    Walk closely with Him.

    Because the greatest adventure isn’t found in the places you’ll go.

    It’s found in the Savior you’ll never outgrow.

    Three weeks ago, we began with a question:

    What are you seeking?

    Then we learned that following Jesus often means trusting Him one obedient step at a time.

    Today we’ve discovered that the deepest joy isn’t found in reaching the destination.

    It’s found in remaining with Christ.

    We began by seeking Him.

    We learned to follow Him.

    Now let us abide in Him.

    Because joy isn’t found in the destination.

    Joy is found in the presence of Jesus.

    Prayer

    Lord, thank You for inviting me into a relationship with You. Teach me not to chase the next thing so quickly that I miss Your presence today. When life is uncertain, help me stay. When I am tempted to run, remind me that my strength comes from remaining connected to You. Grow in me the fruit that only Your Spirit can produce, and help me find my greatest joy in simply abiding with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

    This Week’s Invitation

    Don’t rush to tomorrow.

    Don’t strive for what only Jesus can produce.

    Simply…

    Abide in Him.

    With love and joy,

    Laura

  • Seek. Follow. Abide.

    Seek. Follow. Abide.

    Part 2 – Who are you following?

    Have you ever wished God would simply hand you a map?

    Show me where we’re going, Lord. Tell me what’s around the next corner. Let me know how this story turns out—and then I’ll follow.

    I know I’ve felt that way.

    But I’m learning that God doesn’t always give us a map.

    He gives us something better.

    He gives us Himself.

    Jesus doesn’t stand at the beginning of the road and point us toward the destination. He walks with us and says, “Follow Me.”

    “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said: ‘Here am I. Send me.’”

    — Isaiah 6:8

    Last week, we talked about seeking God. Seeking is where the journey begins. We seek Him in His Word, in prayer, and in the quiet places of our hearts. But seeking is never meant to be the destination. Seeking is meant to lead us somewhere.

    It leads us to a question.

    Will you follow?

    If I’m honest, I think many of us love the idea of following Jesus more than we love the reality of it. Following sounds exciting when we imagine grand adventures of faith and dramatic moments of obedience. But most of the time, following Jesus looks much simpler—and much harder—than we expect.

    Following is found in the ordinary.

    It’s saying yes when no one else notices. It’s trusting God when the next step isn’t clear. It’s remaining faithful in the season you’re in instead of longing for someone else’s calling or assignment.

    Some of us are waiting for God to reveal His five-year plan when He’s simply asking us to take one faithful step today.

    We often ask God questions like:

    • What’s my purpose?
    • What am I supposed to do next?
    • Am I missing God’s will for my life?

    Perhaps a better question is this:

    Am I willing to follow Him wherever He leads?

    Before Isaiah ever said, “Send me,” he first encountered the holiness and presence of God. His willingness to go flowed from his relationship with God. The same is true for us. Following Jesus isn’t about accomplishing great things for God—it’s about walking closely enough with Him that we recognize His voice and willingly respond.

    Sometimes following means stepping forward into something new.

    Sometimes it means staying right where you are and being faithful.

    Sometimes it means letting go of something you’ve held tightly for years.

    Sometimes it means quietly serving without recognition.

    Sometimes it means beginning again at sixty.

    I’ve learned that obedience doesn’t always feel exciting. There have been seasons in my own life when following Jesus meant walking through cancer treatments, trusting Him when I couldn’t see what was ahead, and choosing joy when circumstances gave me every reason not to. Following isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about trusting the One who does.

    Following Jesus is less about arriving somewhere and more about becoming someone.

    And here’s something I hope encourages you today: God isn’t asking you to become someone else. He’s inviting you to faithfully become who He created you to be.

    The question is, are we close enough to Jesus to follow where He leads?

    Friend, I don’t know where God is leading you next. Some days, I’m still asking Him the same question about my own journey.

    But maybe neither of us needs to know the whole road ahead.

    Maybe today we simply need to look toward Jesus and ask:

    Where are You leading me today?

    And when He shows us the next step, may we have the faith to take it.

    One faithful step at a time.

    Come on, friend. Let’s follow Him together.

    Reflection Questions

    1. Who or what has been influencing the direction of my life lately?
    2. Where is Jesus inviting me to trust Him instead of my own understanding?
    3. What is one faithful step I can take this week that reflects my desire to follow Him?

    Prayer

    Father, thank You for inviting me to walk with You. Forgive me for the times I’ve been more concerned about finding my purpose than faithfully following Your voice. Give me the courage to say yes to whatever You ask of me. Help me trust that Your plans are good and that obedience is always worth it. Today, I choose to follow You one faithful step at a time. Amen.

    Scripture for Meditation

    “My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me.”

    — John 10:27

    Looking Ahead

    Next week, we’ll explore what it means to abide in Christ. Seeking begins the journey. Following moves our feet. But abiding teaches us that our greatest joy is not found in what we do for God—it’s found in remaining close to Him.

    With love and joy,

    Laura

  • Seek, Follow, Abide: Part 1 – What Are You Seeking?

    Seek, Follow, Abide: Part 1 – What Are You Seeking?

    “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” — Jeremiah 29:13

    Over the next three weeks, we’ll journey together through a simple but life-changing question every follower of Christ must answer. We’ll explore what it means to seek Jesus, follow His calling, and abide in His presence. While these truths are closely connected, each deserves time to be prayerfully considered.

    This week, we begin with one question:

    What are you seeking?

    Jesus made a promise in Matthew 7:7:

    “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.”

    Most of us know those words by heart. But have you ever stopped to consider what you’re actually seeking?

    The truth is, we always find what our hearts are pursuing.

    If we seek approval, we’ll spend our lives trying to please people.

    If we seek comfort, we’ll avoid anything that feels difficult.

    If we seek success, we’ll measure our worth by accomplishments that never fully satisfy.

    But when we seek Jesus, we discover something far greater than temporary fulfillment—we find the One who satisfies our souls.

    What we seek shapes the way we see the world.

    No one asks for difficult seasons. We naturally pray for healing, answers, and relief. Yet faith has a remarkable way of changing our perspective.

    Faith doesn’t deny the pain of a trial. Faith reminds us that God is still present within it.

    Sometimes the greatest blessing isn’t that the trial ends quickly. Sometimes it’s realizing that God is accomplishing something in us that could only happen through the struggle.

    James tells us to consider it pure joy when we face trials because they produce perseverance. That doesn’t mean we celebrate suffering. It means we trust that God is working even when we cannot yet see the outcome.

    It takes faith to recognize blessings that don’t arrive in the package we expected.

    The more we seek Christ, the more we begin looking for His fingerprints instead of focusing only on our problems.

    What Are You Looking For?

    Have you ever noticed that when you’re shopping for a particular vehicle, you suddenly see that same model everywhere?

    The cars were always there. You simply became aware of what you were looking for.

    The same principle applies spiritually.

    If you’re looking for reasons to doubt, you’ll probably find them.

    If you’re looking for reasons to complain, you’ll discover plenty.

    But if you’re seeking God’s presence, you’ll begin noticing His faithfulness in places you may have overlooked before.

    A conversation.

    An answered prayer.

    An unexpected opportunity.

    A quiet moment in His Word.

    A peace that doesn’t make sense.

    God’s presence often becomes most visible to those who intentionally seek Him.

    It’s easy to seek what God can do for us.

    We pray for wisdom.

    Strength.

    Healing.

    Provision.

    Direction.

    These are all good gifts from a loving Father.

    But God never intended for us to seek His hand more than His heart.

    His greatest gift has always been Himself.

    When we seek Jesus first, everything else begins to find its proper place. Our circumstances may not immediately change, but our perspective does. We begin to trust Him not only for what He provides, but because of who He is.

    That kind of faith anchors us when life becomes uncertain.

    This Week’s Invitation

    Don’t try to do everything at once.

    Simply…

    Seek Him.

    Next week, we’ll discover what it means to faithfully follow His call.

    With love and joy,

    Laura

    PS. Here is a prayer for your week as you seek Him…Heavenly Father, search my heart and reveal what I have been seeking. Forgive me for the times I have pursued comfort, approval, or success more than Your presence. Help me seek You with my whole heart and trust that You will meet me in every season. Open my eyes to see Your blessings, even in the midst of trials, and teach me to desire You above everything else. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

  • I Choose to Encourage: The Power of Words

    “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” — John 1:1 (NIV)

    Words are powerful.

    With a few carefully chosen words, we can inspire someone to keep going, mend a broken relationship, or offer hope in a difficult season. Yet words can also wound, discourage, and leave scars that last for years.

    Think about the words that have impacted your life. Perhaps someone spoke encouragement over you when you doubted yourself. Maybe a teacher, mentor, friend, or family member saw something in you that you could not yet see in yourself. Their words helped shape who you became.

    Unfortunately, many of us can also recall hurtful words that have lingered long after they were spoken. Words have a way of embedding themselves in our hearts and influencing how we see ourselves and the world around us.

    That is why John 1:1 is so profound:

    “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

    John identifies Jesus as the Word. Before creation, before time itself, the Word existed. Through Him, God brought life, order, and purpose into the world.

    God chose words to create.

    Throughout Scripture, we see the power of God’s spoken Word. He spoke light into darkness. He spoke truth into confusion. He spoke life where there was nothing.

    If words matter so much to God, they should matter to us.

    As followers of Christ, we have an opportunity every day to reflect His character through the words we speak. Our conversations can bring healing instead of hurt. Our comments can build confidence instead of tearing people down. Our encouragement can help others see what God is doing in their lives.

    Encouragement is more than simply saying something nice. It is intentionally speaking truth, hope, and life into someone else’s journey. Encouragement reminds people that they are seen, valued, and loved by God.

    The world offers plenty of criticism, negativity, and division. Social media feeds, news headlines, and daily conversations can quickly become places where people feel attacked rather than uplifted.

    What if Christians became known for encouragement?

    What if our words reflected the heart of Christ?

    What if we paused before speaking and asked ourselves, “Will these words build up or tear down?”

    Every day presents opportunities to encourage:

    • Thank someone for their faithfulness.
    • Speak hope to someone who is struggling.
    • Send a text of appreciation.
    • Pray with a friend.
    • Remind someone of God’s promises.

    Small words can have a lasting impact.

    Today, choose to encourage.

    Let your words reflect the One who is called the Word. Let them bring light into someone’s darkness and hope into someone’s uncertainty.

    Because words are never neutral. They shape how we see ourselves, others, and God. They can unite or divide, heal or harm, inspire or discourage.

    May we use our words wisely and intentionally, choosing encouragement wherever we go.

    Reflection Questions

    1. Who has encouraged you with their words recently?
    2. Is there someone in your life who needs encouragement today?
    3. How can your words better reflect the love and truth of Christ?

    Sometimes the simplest choice—choosing words that give life—can make the biggest difference.

    With love and joy,

    Laura

    This reflection connects with Day 13: “I Choose to Encourage” from the Today I Choose devotional. Each day offers practical encouragement and biblical truth to help you make intentional choices that strengthen your faith and impact those around you.

  • When Life Feels Like a Puzzle

    Have you ever dumped a puzzle out onto a table and wondered how all those random pieces could possibly fit together?

    At first, the pieces seem disconnected. Some are upside down. Some appear insignificant. Others look like they belong somewhere else entirely. Yet the person assembling the puzzle trusts that every piece has a purpose because they have seen the picture on the box.

    Life often feels the same way.

    There are seasons when we can only see a handful of pieces. We see the heartbreak, the disappointment, the unanswered prayer, the unexpected detour, or the dream that didn’t unfold the way we hoped. Looking at those individual moments, it is difficult to understand what God is doing.

    But God sees the finished picture.

    What feels random to us is not random to Him. What appears broken is not beyond His ability to restore. What seems out of place is often exactly where it belongs in His greater plan.

    Romans 8:28 reminds us:

    “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

    Notice that Scripture does not say all things are good. It says God works through all things for good. Every piece matters.

    Some puzzle pieces are beautiful. They represent blessings, victories, answered prayers, and joyful moments. We gladly place those pieces into the picture.

    Other pieces are harder to accept. They represent grief, illness, loss, disappointment, and waiting. We may wish we could leave those pieces out altogether. Yet often those difficult pieces become the very places where God’s faithfulness shines brightest.

    If you’ve ever worked on a puzzle, you know that the edge pieces usually come first. They create a framework that helps everything else come together. In the same way, God’s Word provides the framework for our lives. When circumstances confuse us, His promises help us understand where the pieces belong.

    The truth is, we were never meant to assemble the puzzle alone.

    God is the Master Designer. He knows exactly where each piece fits. He knows why certain pieces arrived when they did. He knows why some pieces seem delayed. He knows how today’s confusion will connect to tomorrow’s purpose.

    Our responsibility is not to see the entire picture. Our responsibility is to trust the One who does.

    Maybe today you’re holding a piece of the puzzle that makes no sense. Perhaps you’re facing a situation that feels unfinished or unresolved. Remember that one piece is not the whole picture.

    Don’t judge God’s plan by the piece you’re holding today.

    Trust that the Author of your story is still working. Trust that He is placing each piece exactly where it belongs. Trust that one day you will look back and see how His grace, wisdom, and faithfulness were present all along.

    The puzzle isn’t finished yet.

    And that’s okay.

    God is still putting the pieces together.

    What piece of your life are you struggling to understand right now, and how can you choose to trust God with the bigger picture?

    Proverbs 3:5-6 — “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

    With love and joy,

    Laura