enLIVEn Devotionals

Abiding in Jesus - Overflowing His Spirit

Potty Training

When my son, Jack, first started to make the big transition from diapers to underwear at night, he would frequently wake me up with a 5 a.m. emergency. Dazed and annoyed, I would either (depending on the emergency) rush him to the bathroom or start the familiar process of changing his sheets and his pants. Then I would jump back in my bed and shut my eyes tightly, determined to get the sleep I desperately needed. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who has a hard time falling back asleep, and I found myself with the rather unfamiliar predicament of quiet time alone. At first I was ... Read the Post

Power of Words

Have you ever caught yourself repeating the words of your mother? I recently told my six year old daughter, “Sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt you.” This is a quote my mother often sang to her very sensitive daughter, who happens to be me. I know she meant well in sharing this, but I can’t understand why I would repeat such absurdity to my own daughter knowing it isn’t true. Words do hurt. They can literally change a person’s attitude for better or worse. There are several negative things I can remember hearing throughout my life which have had a profound ... Read the Post

Pure Joy

Pure joy during trials always seemed like an oxymoron to me. I could understand having joy after the trial was over and everything turned out okay, but joy during a trial seemed unimaginable. However, there was a season of trials in my life through which God finally taught me how to find pure joy when surrounded by despair. During this time of trial, I experienced one of the worst days of my life. It was the darkest day of this season of suffering. On that particular day a miracle happened: it snowed in November! This may not seem like a miracle to most people, but snow in the part of Texas ... Read the Post

Praying for Her

I sat in the pew with my eyes closed and head bowed while the pastor was praying one Sunday morning. As I meditated on God, He revealed a face in my mind of an old friend I hadn’t seen in years. He laid it upon my heart to pray for her. I prayed for her then, but for the next several weeks, God continually impressed on me to offer my old friend up in prayer. I prayed for her daily, though I didn’t understand what I was specifically praying for. I had lost contact with her, so I had no way of reaching her. Finally, while driving in the car, God again urged me to pray for my friend. I did, ... Read the Post

Rags to Robes

As Christians, we can choose to take a step of obedience or stay resolutely in our self-will. If we choose to be obedient, we find ourselves in a situation that is outside of our comfort zone. Insecurities and doubts begin to plague our minds. We may feel confused, lost, scared, anxious, unworthy, inept, uncomfortable and a dozen of other negative emotions. We may become frustrated because our step of obedience has stripped us of our carefully constructed image based on our own accomplishments. God strips us of our worldly rags only to offer us royal robes. But those royal robes scare us to ... Read the Post