Called to Follow Him

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

John 8:12 NLT

Jesus calls us to follow Him—to travel with Him…

…down the less-traveled path.

…out onto the water’s surface.

…to quiet places where we can rest.

…to places we don’t know to dream about.

…to exciting, but unknown, places we’re afraid to go alone.

…to see life through new eyes and with a fresh perspective.

…to fully experience each day.

We are called to follow Jesus and travel with Him as a child of God.

How would our days look different if we traveled with Jesus in His light? {Tweet this}

In Christ,

Laura

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]

Linking up with: Faith 'n Friends, Grace & Truth, #FreshMarketFriday, Writer Wednesday, #MomentsofHope, #GlimpsesofHisbeauty, Purposeful Faith, #DreamTogether

Trust Over Worry

Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
Matthew 6:27 NLT

One worried thought led to another in an endless cycle of fear and anxiety, which kept me tossing and turning for hours.

All that worry added nothing to my life, but it did take away. Because I lost sleep, I woke up tired and irritable. No amount of coffee made a difference. I needed the rest my worried thoughts had stolen.

Jesus taught His disciples that God would provide for them. By trusting Him, they didn’t need to worry about how their daily needs would be met. Although it’s not always easy, the same lesson applies to us. 

I'm happy to be sharing a devotion at Christian Devotions today! I hope you'll join me there to continue reading...Trust Over Worry.

In Christ,

Laura

[Photo credit: FreeImages.com]

Linking up with: Moments of Hope, #glimpsesofHisbeauty, Coffee for Your Heart, Thought Provoking Thursday

Called to Hope

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 NLT

Through Jesus, we are called to Hope…

…not because of who we are, but Whose we are.

…not because of what we can do, but what God can do.

…not because of what we can see, but because of all that He sees.

…not because of how we try to love, but because of God’s ultimate love.

…not because of what we think we know, but because of God’s unlimited knowledge.

…not because of trust in ourselves, but because of our trust in Him.

We are called to find our Hope in Him…not to look for it in the world and in those around us. {Tweet this}

What would our days look like if we truly overflowed with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit?

In Christ,

Laura

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]

Linking up with: Coffee for Your Heart, #HeartEncouragement, Thought Provoking Thursday, #GraceMoments, #FreshMarketFriday, Grace & Truth, Faith 'n Friends, #DreamTogether, #MomentsofHope, Purposeful Faith

Designed to Pray {Book Review and Giveaway}

You might already know this about me… I'm a journal person.

I have several journals I use for notes when I'm doing a book study and I have one where I keep an ongoing list of blessings and things for which I'm thankful. I even wrote a short series on Scripture journaling last fall.

But my personal journal is where I write everything—Scripture verses, prayers, conversations with God (what I would say if speaking out loud, and what I feel He wants me to know), and anything else I’m feeling while spending time with God.

I have a system, a way I like to use my journals, but still, there are times I need a little creative inspiration. (Like when I open my personal journal and realize it’s been awhile since I last wrote anything!)

That's why I was intrigued when given the opportunity to review Designed to Pray: Creative Ways to Engage with God by Kelly O'Dell Stanley.

Designed to Pray isn't a how-to book on prayer, but rather a book of creative inspiration for your prayer life. Whether you consider yourself a prayer warrior or you're just starting to discover what prayer is all about, this eight-week interactive workbook is designed to spark creativity.

Each chapter is broken into seven days, with a short reading and activity for each day. But don't think of it as daily assignments. This book is not rigid with each day building on the previous day. It's made to be flexible. In fact, the author writes, 

“First rule: There are no rules. This book follows a consistent structure, but you don’t have to. It’s okay if you miss a day or two. Or if it takes you a month to finish Week 1. Feel free to cross out my directions and write your own. Or repeat the same exercise multiple times before moving on.” – Kelly O’Dell Stanley, Designed to Pray

I found some suggestions and activities more to my liking than others. You will too. Take the ones you like and use them over and over again (in the book or in your own journal.)

The goal is to spend time with God, and a brief activity may have you talking to Him throughout the rest of the day. You may feel more in touch with Him while writing out a Scripture verse than drawing, or vice versa. But either way, you’re connecting with Him and that's what matters.

Ready to give it a try?

You can visit Kelly on her website and find Designed to Pray on Amazon.

You can also leave a comment on this blog post for a chance to win a free copy of the book! (Thank you to Tyndale Momentum for their generosity in offering this giveaway!)

How would you describe your prayer life? 

Answer this question in your comment and please remember to include your email address so I can contact you if you win!

I will randomly choose and contact one winner at the end of the week. (Sorry, only U.S. residents are eligible.)

In Christ,

Laura 

[Photo credits: Kelly O’Dell Stanley]

(Note: I received a free copy of Designed to Pray by Tyndale Momentum in return for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links.)

Linking up with: #DreamTogether, Moments of Hope, #glimpsesofHisbeauty, #RaRaLinkup