enLIVEn Devotionals

Abiding in Jesus - Overflowing His Spirit

Not Supposed to be Here

After leaving the family nest to go to college, I got a little off track! I strayed from the path. I wasn't going crazy, like going out partying and drinking. I just was lost because I did not have a good Christian foundation. I was five hours from home without a church and church-going friends. Everyday was the same: I went to class and hung out with friends. I was living in my own world that I had fooled myself into believing was good. Then, one day I believe God got tired of watching me wander around aimlessly, so He called out to me. He woke me up and told me to look around me and ... Read the Post

Follow the Leader

I work as an aide for the disabled and the elderly. I love my job. I get to help people in real and tangible ways every day. The other day I was chatting with one of my clients, and she was pleasantly chatting back. She was in her wheelchair, and I was standing off to the side of her. I didn’t mind spending the time talking to her, but I work on a pretty tight schedule. I go from place to place throughout the community, and I really do need to stay on task. I kept trying to use my body language as a gesture to encourage her to follow me into the other room so that we could work and talk at ... Read the Post

Sins of the Spirit

Lord, today I was angry. When friendship was extended, I responded coolly. I felt justified. After what she had said, I had a right to treat her that way. About whom does she think she is making such condescending statements? I haven't done anything to deserve her cruel comments. In the long run my refusal of her friendship will teach her a valuable lesson: Her behavior is unacceptable. I will not reward such dysfunction. After all, her attitude is totally despicable, and it goes against the teachings in Your Word, Lord. I certainly don't want to enable her. I've settled it once and for ... Read the Post

My Child

I was talking to a woman today about our childhoods and the pain that could be found there. As we spoke, I was reminded of when my emotional healing of my formative years was complete. I had experiences as a little girl that had left me scarred and broken. I didn’t know how badly I had been affected; that is until I dared to allow myself to go back in my mind’s eye to the little girl that I had once been. It all started when I was watching a talk show, and the hostess was telling the audience that we could actually go back in our minds and rescue the child of our youth. The thought was ... Read the Post

Bad Reception

I remember the day my hubby handed me my new Droid phone. I looked at him blankly, wondering why he was handing me a calculator and how in the world would this gadget fit in my hand, purse, and life. I’m an old-fashioned girl with a technology allergy that flairs up around digital devices. I do well enough around computers, but that’s about it. In time I got used to speaking into my calculator-phone, and I’ve realized it’s an important tool for communication. When it comes to music I’m still i-less: no iPad, iPod, or iTouch, (though I do have iDrops if anyone needs them). Instead, I get in ... Read the Post