enLIVEn Devotionals

Abiding in Jesus - Overflowing His Spirit

Shout of the Healed

I saw a friend tonight stand up in front of the crowd declaring God’s love. The joy, power and comfort of God surrounded her. His light reflected from her and mingled with the fire of Christ burning within her. I know I was staring, but I couldn’t help it. She blazed with God’s goodness. “His Goodness,” I thought! She was diagnosed with breast cancer only days ago, and she BLAZED with God’s goodness! This woman who has every right to claim fear, mistrust and hurt has never looked so loved, so protected and so comforted. “I will get to know my God as the Great Healer!” she exclaimed. When ... Read the Post

Glorious

She calls me Mary. My paternal grandmother’s name was Mary. She died young. Isn’t that always the case? Life seems to end before we’re done living it; but not with the ninety-something little angel that I’ve been taking care of. She can’t always remember me, but she calls me Mary just the same. Today she asked me what my name was. I told her my name, but she kept on repeating it incorrectly. I finally told her, “You call me Mary.” She looked up at me and smiled. She liked that. Her name is Martha, but I’ll call her Mary, because I’ve always been the Martha. How many times has the Lord told ... Read the Post

Romanticized Obedience

Lately, God has been prompting me to do many things that I do not understand. As I take each step of obedience, I can’t help but analyze and romanticize the results. I imagine this awesome outcome that shines the glory of God and affects many lives. I anticipate the gates of heaven opening up and flooding the fruits of my efforts with miraculous and jaw-dropping wonders. However, the endings that I dream up usually fizzle away, and I’m left with conclusions that wouldn’t make it into book, let alone a best-sellers’ list. After one such disappointing end to a much built up step of obedience, ... Read the Post

The Orange Flag

This morning while driving to work, I had to pause a moment at the end of our street. The road ahead was under repair, leaving me uncertain if I could make my usual left turn. A smiling construction worker waved me forward with his orange flag, encouraging me to turn left in spite of the fact that huge utility vehicles were in the midst of tearing up the road. Nonetheless, I took a leap of faith in the stranger’s direction and made the left turn. The drive was a little bumpy and required navigating around the work in progress, but I made it! As I was enjoying a little moment of success ... Read the Post

A Legacy Misunderstood

When I was 16, there was a girl in my church who I thought hated me. She seemed very rude and caustic with me. I always felt that she was making fun of me, and I thought that she just didn't care to be my friend. I finally stopped trying to be her friend. Fifteen years later, there is a man who owns a small café where I sometimes buy my coffee. He is sarcastic and many times seems rude, but I know he just has a personality that is different than mine. He's actually a pretty nice man once you get past his rough exterior. I overlook is jibes because I know that he is not trying to insult me; ... Read the Post