enLIVEn Devotionals

Abiding in Jesus - Overflowing His Spirit

His Peace

God’s peace is different from our idea of peace. I am due to have our third baby any day now, and our home has been full of family and friends helping us out. At the same time, my two little girls have become a little uneasy knowing change is on the way. After a disastrous breakfast replete with spankings, crying, a distressed Grandma and an exhausted Mommy, I sought solace under my covers with my Bible and begged God for some peace as I drank in His scriptures.His words were like a cool river running through my body, calming me down, bringing me peace and strengthening me for the rest of ... Read the Post

Hometown

Over a decade ago, I moved 900 miles away from my hometown in Kansas. Although I miss my family, I have enjoyed the anonymity I have gained since I left. However, I’ve always wondered why it was so hard for me reconnect with my family and friends when I returned home. It seemed like I would visit my hometown and everyone would see me as the little high school cheerleader I once was instead of the educated Christian woman I have worked so hard to become. It frustrated me. I always questioned why my family and friends would not take me seriously. Then one day I was reading the Bible and a ... Read the Post

Hope

Hope!!! What a word! It almost brings tears to my eyes to even think about the meaning of that word!  It’s amazing how a four letter word truly changes everything. I will never forget the day that our little boy cried out for help. He was yelling at the top of his lungs, “Mommy! HELP! HELP!” I couldn’t get to his rescue fast enough. Once I got there and checked out the damage and realized that he was fine, God so sweetly decided to teach me a life changing lesson. When Jackson was yelling “help” it actually sounded like he was yelling “HOPE.” (He doesn’t pronounce his L’s very well). I, ... Read the Post

How Do You Say, "I Love You," to Your Man?

This answer is different for every woman. If it's not a husband or boyfriend, maybe it's your dad or brother. We all want to hear and know that the men in our lives adore us. But, can we recognize it when it comes? After reading Gary Chapman's book, The Five Love Languages, I was armed with new knowledge on how my fiancé and I could better express our love to each other. However, six years and two children later, I still need to be reminded. In my case, my man doesn't spill out a million sweet words every day reassuring me verbally that he loves me. He does, though, lock the door when I nap ... Read the Post

A Husband's Respect

It’s Father’s Day and I can’t think of anything mushy to write in the card I bought for my husband. My kids are four and two years old, so they probably aren’t going to speak the prolific words of appreciation and love he needs to hear. In fact, they just scribbled all over the card, so it’s definitely up to me. Why is it so hard sometimes to muster up some encouragement for him? Is it maybe because I don’t think he deserves it? I’m reminded of the verse in Ephesians that reads, “The wife must respect her husband,” and I think, “Are you serious, Lord? Do you remember who my husband is? Did ... Read the Post

Imitators Of Christ

Recently during my drive to work, I spotted a lively bunch of flowers at the entrance of a mobile home park close to my neighborhood. The colorful flowers were so pretty; I slowed down to enjoy the view and realized after a closer look that the flowers weren’t real. They were fake! What a surprise – they were a great imitation of the real thing. That experience got me thinking about countless “imitation” items available at my local grocery store: imitation sweeteners, creamers, and flavored extracts for baking. The name of some items such as I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter even suggests ... Read the Post