Category: Calling

on • Raquelle Stevens

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes (Ephesians 1:4).

I remember my grandpa Mike telling me a story about his first encounter with God, a story he also writes about in his amazing book, “70 Golden Threads of Grace” by Mike Stevens. He was twelve years old and was attending a small church in the countryside of North Wales when he first heard the words of the famous hymn:

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”

Grandpa Mike said that at the time he heard the song, he couldn’t fully identify what he experienced, but something had touched his heart. He said he now looks back on that time in awe of God’s choosing of him. At nearly eighty years old, he still gets teary-eyed over this experience.

It reminds him that everything in his life has resulted from God’s gracious love.

We all have much to learn from those who have lived longer than we have, and the fact that my grandpa’s experience when he was only twelve years old can still bring tears to his eyes reminds me of how special we are to God.

No matter what age we are or who we are, God created us to live out our own individual lives.

He created us and he loves us, which we can forever be in awe of. Even before God created the earth, he had us specifically in mind. This is something our human minds can hardly comprehend.

God loves us so much and chose us to be here on earth, specifically at this time. Take a moment to let that soak in: before the creation of the earth, God had you on his mind, and he chose you.

If you’re ever having a blah day, remember this, and it will remind you of the importance of your life. Know that God loves you and chose you for this time for a very special reason.

Are you feeling down today? Feeling unloved?

Pray this prayer to remind you of who you are and who created and loves you:

Dear God, Thank you for creating me and choosing me for this specific time on earth. I’m so amazed! Please help me to continue to experience your love and presence in powerful ways. I pray that others will experience your love and presence too. Amen.

*For further reflection, listen to Ephesians 1 today.

  1. Ephesians 1

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Taken from THE SUNSHINE MIND by TANYA RAD & RAQUELLE STEVENS. Copyright @ JANUARY 31, 2022 BY TANYA RAD & RAQUELLE STEVENS. Used by permission of Zondervan. www.zondervan.com.

To learn more of Raquelle’s Journey of Faith, watch her interview with Jenny Steinbach and click here!

on • Michelle Van Loon

Experiences of exile are meant to transform me and you into pilgrims – people who look ahead and not behind.

The children of Israel experienced supernatural miracles as God delivered them from slavery in Egypt. He guided them by cloud and fire, provided food and water, and gave the gift of his beautiful Law.

But Scripture reveals that these newly freed exiles weren’t receptive students.

Instead, they responded to the lessons of their desert classroom in 10 key ways.

1. Questioned the leadership of Moses (Exodus 14:11–12)
2. Complained about undrinkable water (Exodus 15:24)
3. Accused Moses of trying to starve them (Exodus 16:3)
4. Attempted to hoard manna (Exodus 16:20)
5. Ignored Moses’ command not to search for manna on the Sabbath (Exodus 16:27–29)
6. Whined (again) about a lack of water (Exodus 17:2–3)
7. Created and worshipped a golden calf (Exodus 32)
8. Griped about their circumstances (Numbers 11:1–2)
9. Grumbled about the lack of variety in their food (Numbers 11:4)
10. Refused to enter the Promised Land because they were afraid (Numbers 14:1–4)

They flailed and thrashed as though they were drowning in the desert. The bad days in Egypt took on a shiny new luster in their souls: Maybe it wasn’t so terrible there.

At least they knew what they could expect as slaves in Egypt. Their exile hearts were on full display when they stood at the doorstep of the Promised Land a little more than a year after leaving Egypt.

God led the exiles as far as they could go, but asked them to embrace their identity as pilgrims. He wanted them to look forward, so they could follow him out of exile the rest of the way home.

Instead, they looked backwards and refused big time—ten big times–a number with great meaning as it equaled the number of plagues God had visited upon the Egyptians.

As a result, in his holy love, God sent his people on a journey away from Canaan that would end up lasting four decades (Numbers 14:21-23).

In the face of the Israelite’s fear-filled refusal to obey him, the exiles heard from God that would live out their lives in the School of the Desert for the next forty years. They’d serve as God’s teaching assistants, telling the story of God’s promises to their children.

When the last of them were gone, their pilgrim children would be free to cross the Jordan and finally head toward home (Deuteronomy 6:10–11).

In our own experiences of exile, may we be willing to learn how to obey God in our desert, and become his pilgrims in the process. Instead of looking back, may we learn how to look forward into the future.

*For deeper reflection, listen to Exodus 14: today.

  1. Exodus 14

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(Adapted from “Born to Wander: Recovering the Value of Our Pilgrim Identity”, Moody Publishers, 2018)

on • Sylvia Gunter

Regardless of our story, we share a common pursuit. The search for our true identity drives us to be understood and appreciated for who we really are. Yet, deep inside each of us is a longing for something more. Those are not evil desires. God created the thirst so we can enjoy him, the Living Water fulfilling our every need and want.

Unfortunately, we spend much time and energy looking elsewhere for our fulfillment and identity. It feels natural to look to our family, friends, successes, or failures to help define us.

The key is to understand that you are a part of a new family, the family of God, and allow His truth of who you are to fill your heart and mind. Ephesians 2:19 says, “So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.”

You have a new life in Christ. You have a new name in Christ.

Here is just a lovely taste of who you are in Christ. I encourage you to take a few days to read and listen to these Scriptures:

  • Belonging to God – John 17:9
  • Delighted in – Isaiah 42:1
  • Equipped – 2 Timothy 3:17
  • Accepted – Romans 15:7
  • Free – Romans 8:2
  • Beautiful – Isaiah 61:10
  • Treasured – Psalm 83:3
  • Victorious – 1 Corinthians 15:57
  • Forgiven – 1 John 1:9
  • Overcomer – 1 John 5:4-5
  • Perfect and complete – James 1:2-4
  • Delivered – 2 Timothy 4:18
  • Redeemed – Galatians 3:13
  • Known – 2 Timothy 2:19
  • Indestructible – 1 Peter 1:23

There are more than 200 descriptions of your true identity in Scripture!

You may “know” these Scriptural facts, but take time to let these truths sink deep into your core. God desires these truths to be embedded in your heart and mind so that you will not be deceived when accusations come.

I pray that you will be able to walk each day in honor and dignity, knowing you are a beloved child of God Most High.

*For deeper reflection, listen to Ephesians 2 today.

on • Tiffany Bluhm

Like any woman with a pulse, I have had times when my back was against the wall, and I have had seasons when I certainly lost more than I have gained. Dreams of a marriage, a child, or a new venture did not turn out as I had hoped, but all was not lost.

I was left with the Dream Giver, the one who loves me, longs for my good, and will never leave me for dead. He was behind the scenes, working everything for good. He was with me and for me, leading me all the way. There was never a moment when I had to fight for the dream on my own. We were in it together, partners every step of the way. He was kind to me. He held me. And I found abundant life tucked in His presence.

In the end, I wanted Him more than the dream.

In our lives, we will experience dreams dying, dreams being resurrected, and dreams becoming a reality. Through it all, may the Dream Giver always be the One we long for—more than our dreams, more than our plans; may the Dream Giver be the One we are after.

I promise you this: the One who created us will always be enough for us. As we place Him on the throne of our lives, we can run toward our dreams with the Dream Giver, never apart from Him. He is the Giver of the dream, our Partner as we pursue the dream, and the One who gives us the victory.

To dream is to trust God with our destiny and live a life worthy of the calling that has been placed upon us. Each and every one of us was born to dream. You and I were built for a much larger capacity than we imagine; we are stronger than we think we are.

And let me assure you of this: you are probably doing a better job than you think you are. The Dream Giver delights in you, loves you, and will never leave or forsake you.

You are the dream of His heart. You are what He is after.

Your life is so very precious to Him. He wants more than anything to draw you in, love you, strengthen you, and unleash you to reach the dreams He has placed within you.

“I desire you more than anything on earth…How good it is to be near God!” Psalm 73:25, 28

*For deeper reflection, listen to Psalm 73 today.

Excerpt from She Dreams: Live the Life You Were Created For Copyright © Abingdon Press, 2019. All Rights Reserved.

on • Heather Thompson Day

Why does God sometimes answer us immediately, and other times, we pray and pray and see nothing for months or even years?

There are two things about God and prayer I find to be helpful to remember. The first is found in Daniel 9:23. It says, “The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God.”

Sometimes we pray, and immediately a command goes out, and God places the answer to our prayer in our lives. Immediately God responds.

But there is a second example we find in the very next chapter, Daniel 10:12-13. The second prayer we see Daniel pray, is not answered immediately, and it’s interesting to read the reason.

Then he said, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come to answer your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way.”

This verse is super important to understanding how prayer works, or, as it sometimes seems, is not working. Bible commentator Charles Ellicott says of this exchange:

Perhaps no single verse in the whole of the Scriptures speaks more clearly than this upon the invisible powers which rule and influence nations… From this chapter we not only learn that Israel had a spiritual champion (Daniel 10:21) to protect her in her national life, and to watch over her interests, but also that the powers opposed to Israel had their princes, or saviors, which were antagonists of those which watched over Israel. The “princes” of the heathen powers are devils, according to 1 Corinthians 10:201

In Daniel chapter nine, we see God answer immediately, and in Daniel chapter 10, we see Daniel’s answer is delayed due to the intervention of evil supernatural influences in the region at that time.

What is important to note is that both times, Daniel is loved by God.

A delay in this instance is not brought on by Daniel himself, but rather, is a reaction to the organization of demonic spirits in the supernatural realm.

Sometimes, it is not your turn, and it is also not your fault.

There is a real devil, and a real army of evil constantly organizing to delay your promise. So, we must learn as believers how to pray thoroughly.

Prayer is not a one size fits all experience, and God will answer and respond to you differently season by season.

But prayer does matter, and prayer does change things, and prayer does change us.

*For deeper reflection, listen to Daniel 10 today.

~ Excerpt from It’s Not Your Turn by Heather Thompson Day

1 By various writers. Edited by Charles John Ellicott, An Old Testament commentary for English readers, Charles Ellicott & Bible. Old Testament. English. Authorized. (London: Cassell, Petter & Galpin, 1882). https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/daniel/10.htm.

on • Leslie Leyland Fields

I just turned 64, but I’m not asking what the Beatles asked: “Will you still need me? Will you still feed me, when I’m 64?” I am asking something else.

It started when I hit 40. That day I went for a walk on the loop of our gravel road, my husband and our kids. I had just started to color my hair, which was greying around my face. When I was eighty, I decided, I would go shopping in a purple jogging suit. I would wear bright red lipstick until I died. I would be kind and generous but feisty and wear whatever I like.

When I turned 50, my husband threw me a party. A houseful of friends came for lunch. Ten years older than me, Sue gave me the best present of all: “I loved my fifties. It was the best decade ever.” Our mothers and fathers died suddenly. I scattered stones. I mourned. I wondered how to live with such losses.

Then I turned 60. My sons and then my daughter got married. I spent my days locked in closets wrestling with God, writing books. I traveled. I taught. I wore bright lipstick every day, even to the gym, where I tortured my muscles and felt glad to be alive.

At 64 now, I am working harder with more joy. I no longer feel alone. I have people who come alongside me and beloved learners all over the globe. I’m a grandmother twice over, soon three. Even when I feel unworthy and inadequate, I no longer let that stop me from doing everything God puts in my heart.

But I know that someday I will lay it all down. I will arrive where the writer of Ecclesiastes arrives at the end of the book in chapter 12:3, at the door of the house of the bent old woman looking through the windows—seeing dimly. Soon, my “dust will return to the earth,” and my “spirit will return to God who gave it.”

I’m closer now to that house than I’ve ever been before. We all are. We’re standing on the porch before that cracked door. I don’t want to be afraid. Because the one who has filled my empty cup every day of my 64 years, he’ll still be there. Listen to what Isaiah says:

“I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.” (Is. 46:4)

Dear ones, please don’t resist Him any longer. Let him carry you—all the way through that door.

*For deeper reflection, listen to Isaiah 46 today.

on • Elyse Fitzpatrick

When I mention Eve’s name, what automatically comes to your mind? Her deception and fall? Her foolish conversation with the serpent, or her confession, “The serpent deceived me, and that’s why I ate it” (Genesis 3:13)? In some quarters, that is all we ever hear about Eve.

But, thankfully, it’s not the end of her story. The Lord’s response to her confession of sin wasn’t judgment or even condemning silence. It was a promise of new life, a life that would bring victory and turn Eve’s confession of her sin into an opportunity to demonstrate mercy. Eventually, Jesus, the perfect Son, will mend everything broken.

Amid all Eve’s sorrow over her sin, Eve believed God. How do we know? When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the Lord’s help, I have produced a man!” (Genesis 4:1). Look at that.

Here is our flawed mother, proclaiming her faith in God. She had had a son “with the Lord’s help.” She believed that she was still beloved and God had granted her new life. And, that’s not all we hear from her. We don’t know how much time passed between Cain’s exile, Abel’s murder, and Seth’s birth (Genesis 4), but here Eve is again, confessing both the devastating realities of her world and her ongoing trust in her Father. “God has granted me another son in place of Abel, whom Cain killed” (Genesis 4:25). Twice she confesses her trust in God. Twice she proclaims profound theology: God is sovereign, and people are responsible for their actions. Twice she tells us that we, too, can persevere.

When you think of Eve, do you recognize her as a wise theologian, full of great faith, persevering through the crucible of intense fire? Eve’s story is good news as she encourages us to see all of our life under the watchful eye of a loving Father. Eve gives us the courage to confess his faithfulness, as the God who gives good gifts and who helps us in our grief.

And Eve speaks to me: I can believe that God is good enough to use all my weakness and sin to glorify himself, and I can speak it to others—even to my own doubting heart. Take courage.

*For further reflection, listen to Genesis 4 today.

on • Carolyn Custis James

The U.S. presidential inauguration introduced a new voice, as twenty-two-year-old National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman inspired a fitful nation with her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” on January 20, 2021.

Her final hope-filled lines stuck with me:

For there is always light,

if only we’re brave enough to see it

If only we’re brave enough to be it

History is full of ezer-warriors “brave enough to be” light in their time and place. The Bible frequently highlights women (often very young) who confront the challenges of the moment to bring light and hope to others.

I think of Ruth.

Marriage to Naomi’s son swept Ruth into Naomi’s tsunami of suffering. Naomi was a famine refugee and a widow. By the time the dust settled both women had plummeted to the bottom of ancient society. Both were childless widows. Post-menopausal Naomi and barren Ruth had no future. Ruth was about Amanda Gorman’s age when she faced the hardest decision of her life. Yet instead of abandoning Naomi, Ruth chose a dark, foreboding future in Bethlehem by embracing Naomi, her people, and her God.

That changed everything.

Ruth took refuge under God’s wing and, from that place of blazing light, drew courage to do whatever Naomi needed. From that moment, she refused to hold back or shrink from bravely making bold initiatives to a powerful man—all on Naomi’s behalf. She ignored cultural boundaries limiting her as an immigrant, an impoverished widow, and a scavenger for food to bring light and renewed hope to Naomi.

Ruth never knew God was advancing his purposes for the world through her brave, selfless love for Naomi.

Her story reminds us never to underestimate how God might multiply our smallest act of kindness, encouraging word, or helping hand. We should all be asking, “If Ruth, why not me?” May God help us to be “brave enough” to bring the light of hope to others.

*For deeper reflection, listen to Ruth 1.