enLIVEn Devotionals

Abiding in Jesus - Overflowing His Spirit

Creator of the Night Sky and Racecars

Have you ever looked up at the night sky, especially out in the country away from the lights of the big city, to see the wonders of the Milky Way Galaxy? It's stunningly beautiful. Just look at a spot, one spot, intently for a long time. It takes anywhere from 10-20 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust to the lack of light. As far as you can look, you only see a fraction of the stars in any one spot. There are about 200 billion stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, and there are about as many galaxies in the universe. No, we don't understand that. We have no frame of reference for that. There ... Read the Post

Unconditional Love

Being a Christian for almost a decade now and in conjunction with being a newlywed, I have come to realize more and more each day of what unconditional love is. The Bible says in 1 John 4:19 that "We can love because He first loved us." It is so amazing how God first did an act of love in mine and my husband's heart before ever bringing us together. As a result, we are able to love each other as He has shown us individually and also together as newlyweds. That is so important especially in today's society where false demonstrations and pretenses of love are constantly portrayed. Love is not ... Read the Post

Holey Faith

It was a simple task, one that has been repeated more times than I can count. Most of the time I do it mindlessly, tackling it like a robot would in a factory assembly line. Now that our kids are older, they take turns helping with this task. This particular day I couldn't wait for them to participate. I sat in the middle of the living room floor, sorting and folding laundry. Something changed, though, when I reached for the stained T-shirt and holey socks. Suddenly I was no longer a robot. I visualized five-year old Landon's one-kneed jeans and his zest for outdoor activity. I pictured ... Read the Post

Glory Inside

I enjoy giving my kids massages about once a week. I know that the movement and light pressure on their skin and muscles help with the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems, thereby improving overall health. Plus, it's an excuse for me to love on them in a tangible way. My kids have gotten so used to their weekly rub downs that they run to the massage table with smiles and eagerly stretch out ready to relax. Once particular afternoon, the weather was very stormy. You could hear the rain beating down on the roof and the thunder rolling and lightening cracking outside. It was a great excuse ... Read the Post

Redeemer of the Pain

God is a merciful God and I am so thankful. Some of the hardest lessons are those learned in the deepest wounds. Wounds are painful, but God is a redeemer of that pain. He does not let the painful experiences be for naught. It can be used for His plan, His glory and for our best. Often that is not what we believe when we are in the midst of our pain and wounds. We can focus on our loss of “dreams” or we can focus on the “good” When my grandmother was murdered in 1996 by my step-grandfather, who then took his own life, my life began to revolve around fear, anxiety and agoraphobia. Even ... Read the Post

Meeting Mother Mary

While driving to visit my dying nephew, I met Mother Mary. I'm not Catholic so meeting her that day was a wonderful surprise and beautiful blessing. I wasn't sure if my nephew would still be alive by the time I arrived, so I prayed. Prayer by prayer, mile by mile. I asked God to guide my words and give me strength to support my family. How could I possibly find the words to comfort his mother on this day? It was in the middle of the state, in the middle of no where, when she whispered..."Talk with me, I understand." Mother Mary assured me. Mother Mary, of course knew what my ... Read the Post