Daily Devotionals
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In 2018, a man checked into a room at New York hotel for a one-night stay. Remarkably, he used the room for five years without paying another cent-exploiting obscure rent laws to hold on to it. His refusal to leave, however, eventually led to potential prison time for him. Like an unwelcome tenant who overstays, James warns us that the devil lingers in our lives when left unchecked. "Resist the…
Speaking to a group of young actors, Academy-Award-winning actor Denzel Washington encouraged them to begin each day with prayer, suggesting they "put your shoes way under the bed at night" to ensure they "gotta get on your knees in the morning." Developing a regular habit of prayer might take some thoughtful and even creative planning, but it's a practice that has sustained God's people…
Michael couldn't help laughing as Grace hid behind a menu. They were playing a game of hide-and-seek at the table in a caf while waiting for the food. The five-year-old thought that if she couldn't see her father, then he couldn't see her. It seemed silly at the time, but as Michael reflected on the incident later, he realized it contained an important lesson: Do we believe we can hide our sins…
Professional boxer Jim Braddock was known as someone who fought not for riches and fame, but to put food on the table for his family. The movie Cinderella Man chronicles his fairytale-like comeback from a past-his-prime boxer to the world heavyweight champion. While facing extreme poverty during the Great Depression, Jim repeatedly sacrifices his own resources, health, and pride to provide for his…
A recent photography contest featured images created by artificial intelligence (AI). People from around the world submitted pictures they had fabricated by AI text prompts on computers. Only AI-generated images were allowed. One winner was a surreal depiction: against a sandy landscape, something that looked like a pink flamingo curled into a feathery ball. There was only one problem. The winning…
Of all United States presidents, Jimmy Carter had the longest marriage. He and his wife Rosalyn were married for seventy-seven years. When Carter was asked the secret to his long, successful marriage, he replied, "Choose the right person to marry." Beyond that, he named three other concepts for marital success: reconciliation, communication, and devotion to faith. We see the idea of reconciliation…
On a Thursday, just before lunch, the pastor passionately reminded the seventy senior saints gathered in his church's cinder block auditorium about the promise of their resurrection. Meanwhile, in the fellowship hall sandwiches and watermelon slices were set out, waiting to be consumed by mourners sitting on metal folding chairs placed on stained carpet. It was a perfectly normal funeral, except…
In the dimly lit restaurant, our waitress quietly took our orders with a solemn expression. But then a customer kindly gave her a writing pen that had a little flashlight built into it. He told her it was so she could "see in the dark." Her face lit up and her demeanor changed to reflect joy. It was evident that she as delighted by the gift-clicking the light off and on. When she left our tables,…
As a landscape photographer, I'm drawn to photos I find online. Recently I came across "10 of the Most Breathtaking Places in the U.S." A photo of a geothermal spring depicts a massive basin of multi-colored luminescence. A snapshot of the Hoh Rain Forest shows a dense mossy forest that looks like something straight out of "The Hobbit." A stunning picture taken in Monument Valley, Arizona, could…
All summer long, the children in the house behind ours spend hours swinging on their swing set. Their noisy swing set. Its creaky noise doesn't bother the children who seem, some days, to swing endlessly. Complaining, I asked my husband why their parents don't oil the swing. Praying about it, however, I noticed a change in my heart. I could see the children's laughter and joy bursting from the…
"What a cruel act to be untruthful," German theologian and monk Meister Eckhart once wrote in a poem that contrasts relationships built on trust and honesty with those damaged by lies. He described truthful, loving words as "wonderful spices mixed into the days." But lies, he emphasized, are like earthquakes in the mind and poison to the soul: "Havoc is created in the mind that can no longer trust…
According to research, Gen Z can detect a false compliment from a mile away. While the intention might be kindness, the members of that generation value something deeper: genuine respect and honesty. Not looking to be flattered, they want to be believed in. When truth is spoken, they feel respected, taken seriously, and are challenged to grow. But this is likely true for most of us. Psalm 141:5…
Branden's father was dying of cancer in his fifties. Wanting to help, Branden talked his parents into moving in with him so he could assist them. His dad loved the tropics but could no longer travel, so Branden got creative. He landscaped a pond behind his house, stocked it with fish, and installed a waterfall that tumbled over rocks. He trucked in three loads of beach sand, added banana trees,…
One April afternoon, millions gathered along a mapped arc across Mexico and the United States to witness a rare total solar eclipse. Schools released children, small towns blossomed to receive travelers, neighbors set up lawn chairs in driveways donning protective glasses to take in the wonder. As television crews documented the countdown to "totality," the crowd grew silent except for one…
I've heard it said, "We can't make our children believe. We can only give our children reason to believe what we believe." That's a wise observation-but how do we do it? Of all people to take parenting advice from, the apostle Paul is seldom the first choice. It's likely that he had no children. Parents prefer to hear from someone who's been-there-done-that, someone who knows about sleepless…
My friend Jos was in hospice care, dying. He'd been alert and talkative during my prior visit but a week later was now frail and speechless. I sat with Jos and his family anyway, hoping my presence would mean something to them. At the end of what would be my final visit, I was the last one in the room with him. I finally stood and slowly headed to the door but stopped and turned around one last…
I recently traveled to Los Angeles and had to rent a car. Soon, I was driving through narrow downtown lanes, full of traffic and people. I found myself driving very carefully, slower than normal. Why? Well, I didn't want to have an accident. But I really didn't want to damage my rental car. It wasn't mine, after all. I was just, well, borrowing it. Most of the time, we'd rather be owners than…
