Instead of the normal devotion I normally write for Rays, I felt the Lord call me to use this. These are truths I read about the Lord when I am feeling any sort of emotion, and need to surrender those emotions to the Lord. Anxious, scared, doubtful, uncertain, etc. I read these and remind myself of the mercy & gentleness of the Lord. I hope this can help you if you find yourself needing it. He meets you where you are. He takes the weight of your burdens. He gets down on your level. He carries you when you cannot. He calms the anxious storms. He settles the waves. He invites you into freedom. He welcomes you with mercy. He loves unconditionally. That is the beauty of surrender.
Sometimes August feels like the real “New Year.” New classes, new schedules, new routines. Whether you’re a student, parent, or teacher, this season probably feels like a total reset. BUT… more than filling our calendars with plans, it’s a chance to refocus our purpose of sharing the Gospel.
The Great Commission was given to all of us in Matthew 28:19, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” This means wherever you go, whether it be classrooms, offices, sports games, or the long school pickup lines😆 – you are stepping into a mission field! Every genuine conversation, act of service, or kind compliment points people to Jesus.
So this year, instead of striving to keep up with all of the events and busy schedules, let’s shift our mindset. Let’s view the ordinary places as opportunities to share the love of Christ.
Be bold! Be faithful! Be a light! Jesus is with you and He will use you right where you are!💛💛💛
The heart of a mother is filled with the tension of holding on and letting go. We begin by holding our child’s hand, guiding their every step, and protecting them from perceived danger. As they grow, however, our role must shift from being controllers to being confident intercessors. We must trust that the same God who knit them together in the womb loves them even more than we do and has a perfect plan for their lives. When we trade our anxieties for prayer, we exchange our limited control for His infinite grace. This act of surrendering our child to God’s care is what allows us to experience the peace that surpasses all understanding, knowing they are in the best possible hands.
The spiritual foundation built in the home is the anchor that will keep your child steady when they step into the world. Just as a house built on a rock can withstand any storm, a child rooted in God’s Word will be unshaken by the pressures of their peers and the culture. Deuteronomy 6:7 reminds us to diligently teach our children about the Lord throughout all aspects of daily life – when we sit, walk, and rest. A strong foundation gives them the confidence not just to survive in the world, but to thrive as disciples who reflect God’s love to those they meet.
This intentional discipleship at home prepares children for their mission field: their school, their playground, and their neighborhood. With a heart filled with Jesus’s love, they can’t help but let His light shine. Other children will see the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness – and be drawn to that goodness. In a world filled with conflict, a child’s simple, authentic faith can be a powerful testimony. Just as Isaiah prophesied a little child would lead in a peaceable kingdom, when guided by the Holy Spirit, children can lead their peers by their example of grace and truth. This is how the gospel spreads – one classroom, playground or cafeteria table at a time, proving that God’s plan often works through the unexpected and the humble.
“All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.” ~ Isaiah 54:13
My favorite time of day during the school year was always the ride home with the kids, asking them how their day was, hearing all about the cafeteria lore, the classroom chaos, the playground adventures, academic triumphs and failures, and social highs and lows of the day. Sometimes there was laughter, while other days brought tears. Some days, they welcomed me with hugs or high fives, and then others with crossed arms and silence. But, no matter what kind of day they had, they usually shared at least some details of their day that I had missed while they were away from me. It made me feel closer to them, like I was a part of their daily lives outside of our home and they actually wanted me to know what went on in their day and how they felt about the things that happened to them and around them.
Now, my son is 18 and literally moving halfway around the world to play soccer and go to school exactly one week from today. My daughter is 16, has her own car, her own friends, and her own life away from her old mother. I miss the carpool days more than I ever imagined I could possibly miss something that seemed so routine at the time. I took for granted my children’s desire to share with me the details of their lives. Don’t get me wrong–I know they stil love me and I know they believe that their old mom still loves them, but the interactions have changed. And it hurts. My heart misses them, even when they’re sitting in the same room. I ask how their day was, and you know what they say. All together now…”Fine.” Ugh. “What did you do today?” You guessed it…”Nothing.” Cool. Awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Pondering on my desperation to hear every facet of my children’s day and feel like I’m relevant in their lives led me to think about how much I share with God about my own daily details–my own classroom chaos (dude…I teach high school freshman all. day. long. #chaos), my own academic triumphs and failures, my own social highs and lows. My Heavenly Father has a desperate desire to rejoice in my laughter and comfort my sorrows. He is, after all, my Abba Father, my daddy who loves me and wants to hear about every facet of my day. He wants me to talk to Him just like I long for my own children to talk to me. What an amazing Father He is.
Psalm 139: 7-10 says, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” We may have to be separated from our sweet children when they go to school during the day, or when they grow up and spread their wings and fly, but God is always with us. He never leaves us. He knows us, loves us, wants to talk to us, to hear from us, and spend time with us. He wants to be relevant in our lives.
I encourage you to join me this school year in spending more time sharing my daily life with God in prayer, knowing that nothing is too insignificant or routine to Him. We are His special creation, the apples of His eye, the ones He gave His only Son to save so we could spend eternity with Him. He wants to know ALL the things!
Now, if I could go be omnipresent and sleep on a mattress on my son’s dorm room floor, I would. But, I don’t think that would be good for his social life. And, alas, I do want him to bloom and grow where is he planted…even if it’s across an ocean without old mom cramping his style. But don’t think I’m not expecting a facetime call at least once every couple of weeks! Keep mom in the loop, kid!
Anyone hit that back to school tired yet? Just me? 🫠… whew.
Also, rewind a couple weeks for all the “prep” work. Shopping, clothes, supplies, cleaning. Back to school bills 😬.
Maybe your prep work was ALL the above – PLUS a classroom, trainings, office, registration, reports. ALL. THE. THINGS.
And now here we are 5 days in, exhausted, and anxiously waiting for Labor Day break 😆. Did I even mention practices, and sports schedules? Gosh we get so caught up right? Before we know it our time with Jesus – our kid’s time with Jesus – slips away like that summer nap you’re wishing back.
I want to encourage you today, if you haven’t already, make HIM the Master of your schedule. Make Him that first sip of coffee, the meeting you CAN’T miss, the duty or class you can’t be late for.
I read something the other day – a small little quote with a big message. “Satan doesn’t even own the keys to his own house – Don’t give him the keys to yours!” He’s waiting for us to be so busy we don’t even get a glimpse of him slipping in.
Armor up!
Protect your home – Your family – protect your babies (your own and your school babies) – your staff – coworkers. Stand firm, not giving him even the slightest chance.
“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes , put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:13-17
THIS is the best Back to School prep we could ever do. PRAY and suit up now for the tired, for the busy, for the anxiety, the meltdowns, the unexpected. The fiery arrows will come, but girl hold up that shield of faith and hold on to the hem of His garment for dear life! ❤️ With Him … you’ve got this !
“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Ephesians 6:18
I’ve had the gist of this devotion joggling around in my heart for some time, but it wasn’t until I’m sitting down now to write it (or type) that I realized the date it’s going to be posted will be 6 months. Six months since my brother passed. Six months since my heart was broken. Six months since I would soon begin the journey of grief. I’ve been through many trials in life, but I’ve never been broken in the way I have been this year.
I am living proof that it has taken Jesus to hold my hand and walk me through the past 6 months. In the process I’ve learned many things about myself and Jesus. In Revelation the accuser is mentioned in chapter 12 and in verse 11 it reads “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”
Our testimony is important and when we share what God has done in our lives, we reach others who could feel overcome. Except, we are not overcome. The accuser is.
If you have Christ inside you, you are to be an imitator of Christ. 1 John 2:6 says, “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” Now let’s go to John 16:33, where it says “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
In these passages of scripture, it plainly says we are to walk like He walks, and He overcame the world. If we, as Christians, believe in His Word and have faith in Christ, WE ARE OVERCOMERS. After all, we are to illuminate our Savior.
I see the proof of this in small ways. I haven’t been able to sing since I buried my brother. Singing is my God-given talent. I couldn’t even open my mouth when the radio was on. Anyone who knows me knows I love, love, love music. I just recently have been able to have a song in my heart and sing some worship music. It’s a small step, but I’m an overcomer.
I can say in the past 6 months God has proven to me over and over again that He sees me, hears me and is with me. I’m walking as an overcomer because my Savior is an overcomer. I can see Him using my heart break to make a beautiful testimony to be shared with others. Share your testimony, someone needs to hear it!
Peace can feel far away when you’re a mother raising little ones—your days are filled with spills, cries, endless questions, and the same messes you have to pick up multiple times a day. But in the middle of the chaos, God offers a peace that doesn’t depend on a quiet house or a perfect schedule.
Isaiah 26:3-4 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock”
That means even while holding a baby on one hip and stirring dinner with the other hand while your toddler is hanging onto your leg, your heart can rest in the knowledge that God is with you. He’s sees you. His peace is like a deep breath for your soul, reminding you that you don’t have to do this alone, and that the same God who holds the universe also holds you—and your little ones—securely in His hands.
Just like when Peter walked to Jesus on the water. He locked at Him and trusted Him. While the storm raged and the waves crashed around him, he trusted Jesus to keep him safe. Having God’s peace feels like an unshakable calm, even when everything around you is noisy, uncertain, or falling apart. It’s the quiet confidence that you are held, known, and loved by the One who controls it all. It’s not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Jesus that makes your heart still, your mind clear, and your soul settled.
One of my favorite verses- John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
He sees you, he knows you, He’s right there with you holding your hand. Trust Him, and He will give you peace.
It only took one. One bite to bring sin into the world. One woman to birth our Savior. One man to save humanity from a flood. One Man on a Cross to save us from death. Adam, Eve, Noah, Mary, Jesus. You. Me. BE THE ONE. My family goes back to school today. Maybe you’re already in the swing of things. No matter when you started. No matter where you are. You have the option and opportunity to be the one. The one who celebrates instead of complain. The one who stops gossip and speaks life. The teacher who welcomes every student. The student who sees school as a mission. The parent who shares good news more than negativity. FOR THE ONE. We have to remember that most of our open door opportunities don’t come in the form of crowds or stages, but in the everyday, along the way. In the small conversations and hallway prayers right where our feet are. For the people we walk with everyday. For the one lost sheep who has lost its way. The one coworker battling health issues. The one student stuck in a mental valley. The one Walmart clerk who seems down. The one who need a little encouragement. BY THE ONE. The greatest reminder is this: We don’t have to do it alone. We are positioned to be the one, purposed for the one, but created, saved, and empowered BY THE ONE. The one who marched to the Cross to make a way for you and me. The one who sought you, saved you, loves you, and leads you. As you go into your school, workplace, and even home today, I pray that you remember your call to BE THE ONE, slow down to see THE ONE, and remember we do it all BECAUSE OF THE ONE.
“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
(Matthew 6:34)
For the last 10 years or so, I’ve had a front row seat to watch my parents grow old and frail. Believe me when I say this is not for the faint of heart. Watching people you thought were super-human need help getting to and from the car and around their apartment is a gut punch of EPIC proportions. So you can probably guess that there’s been a lot of fear and panic in my life throughout those last years.
Mom and Dad are 90 and 91 respectively. Dad has late-stage Alzheimer’s and mom’s heart is not a happy camper, but they persevere. That’s that generation, I tell you. I think they invented the word STRONG. They live independently in a senior living facility and still enjoy their friends, their shows, and their activities. They can put my brother and I in our place in a New York minute, but then boom – life happens – and one or both of them has some sort of crisis. So what I’ve realized throughout all of this is that once you get past the panic and crisis-mode actions, there is a quiet peace that comes with the realization that no matter what, God’s got their back (and mine too).
I was raised in the church to be a believer, and I was also raised to be a thinker, a questioner, an analyzer. So you can guess this causes me some problems sometimes. I tend to question everything. Trust but verify, right? I guarantee you that God has rolled His eyes at me more than my momma did when I was 15, but He always sends me a wink just when I need it.
Mom and Dad guided my brothers and I to be Christians and taught us that no matter where we are in life, people should know that by our actions and not just our attendance at church services. So as you’re probably thinking, there have been a lot of times of crisis where we needed to lean on our faith to get us through. Have there been times when I’ve fallen short of that? Absolutely. I can vent and rage with the best of them. Do I tend to over-think, over-analyze, and question everything? Yep. But what I find in moments of clarity is peace. Peace and assurance that what has, is, and will happen is God’s plan. Do I understand it? Nope, don’t need to. God’s got me on a need-to-know basis and I’m okay with that because He is bigger than all things.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
It still hurts, and it’s not fun sometimes, this front-row seat. But I’m thankful that God placed me in a position where I can be there for all of it – the good, the bad, and the ugly. I’m getting better at the panic thing, too, because something else I’ve learned is that God’s peace never really leaves me. I just have to remember to keep Him at the forefront of all things and we’ll be okay. No matter what.
As of lately, the hymn “In the Garden” has been on my heart, specifically the opening lines: “I come to the garden alone / While the dew is still on the roses”.
We see in scripture that Jesus often sought moments of solitude for prayer. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place where he prayed” Mark 1:35.
The world we live in today is not nearly as conducive to moments of genuine solitude, but the Lord still invites us to join Him there. The stillness allows us to bring our undivided attention to the state of what’s under the surface. Silence is humbling and solitude provides an opportunity for complete and total honesty with ourselves and with God.
Psalm 139-1-4 says, “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely”.
“It is holy to be honest. It is worship to be weak before Him. It is sacred to be held.” – Sarah Trent
We cannot tell the Lord anything He does not already know, but when we confess it with our mouths and in our hearts, it glorifies Him. When we acknowledge our limitations, we get to rely on His strength. When we divulge our vulnerabilities, we no longer have to stand guard but we instead get to be protected.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
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