enLIVEn Devotionals

Abiding in Jesus - Overflowing His Spirit

Life with Margins

In the summer of 2018 The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, warned high temperatures, drier conditions, decreased snowpack, and large amounts of grass posed an “above average to extreme” wildfire risk. Danger increased due to population growth and suburban sprawl where homes litter brittle burn-prone forests. By the time July ended, over 2 million acres had been burned by wildfires in that single month. If not for margins put in place before the first spark, the damage would’ve been more widespread. Scan western hills or plateaus covered by prairie grass, sage, or ... Read the Post

Though I Walk Through the Valley

I’m an ugly crier. I guess most of us are. Every time I see a scene on television where a woman is bawling her eyes out one minute, smiling prettily the next, I can’t help but roll my eyes. Most often we tell the story about our tears well after they’ve dried. That’s the triumphant place; the place where victory has been obtained and we’re bidding the trial a fond farewell. And in that place of triumph, we speak from a sense of great relief at seeing our faith rewarded. But I’m writing this from the valley… with swollen eyes and tissues at the ready. I’m writing from the ... Read the Post

The Four Words that Ruined My Life

Four little words altered the course of my life forever. “Sara, I’ve messed up.” And it was in the next few moments my now ex-husband revealed devastating news, which at the time, I was certain would end my life. There was no getting around it. The damage had been done. Families were ripped apart. My storybook marriage and life came crashing down. And I found myself in control of absolutely nothing. I cried out to the Lord BEGGING Him to save my marriage. I wanted my life back. I wanted to wake up the next day with everything back to normal. There was NO WAY I could face my family and ... Read the Post

Upside Down Serving

This year was to have been my 5th year riding in The Agony Ride, a 24-hour road bike fundraiser for Christian Encounter Ministries, a Christian ranch for troubled teens. I had diligently pedaled many miles, pursued sponsors, fine-tuned my bike, and gathered all my gear. I was ready—or was I? God sometimes turns things upside down in our lives, which leaves us wondering why. Why when plans were made, life was comfortable, and we had looked forward with anticipation to fulfillment of a dream, vacation, gathering, or an event? Four weeks before the ride, I came down with an intestinal ... Read the Post

The Gift of Grandparenting

“Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers” (Proverbs 17:6 ESV). Children who benefit from our unconditional love are knit in the core of our hearts and souls. We may have difficulty expressing the emotions in words, but our actions show the extraordinary link. One reason God established the family is to teach us love, sacrifice, and the strength of relationships—done His way. And those grands don’t have to be blood-related to receive our affection. With open arms, and often free from the parenting tasks of discipline and meeting basic ... Read the Post

Interrupted Plan

I had a plan for my life. Fresh out of college, with a new wife, a new journalism degree, and a not-so-new apartment, I could see my career path ahead—years at a community newspaper, eventually becoming an editor in charge of a squad of reporters, with a growing family. Along the way, someone would publish a book of mine and then I could quit the rat-race to focus on writing science-fiction full-time. As a Believer, I knew, of course, that God would support that plan. Why wouldn’t He? He wanted what was best for my life, and I’d done a good job coming up with a helpful outline. It became ... Read the Post