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Having a Good Man
Jeremiah 29:11(NLT) “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Warren believed that being a parent was one of the greatest privileges in life. He had always wanted to be one, and when he…
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The Art of Compassionate Communication
People mean the most to God, and this isn’t a difficult truth to prove. He tells us in Genesis 1:27 that He created human beings in His very own image. He adopted us into His family through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Romans 8:29(NLT) declares, “For God knew his people in advance, and he…
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Trust and Believe God
In the Gospel of Mark, the ninth chapter gives us the record of a man that had brought his son to Jesus Christ to be healed. Jesus Christ and his disciples, Peter, James, and John had been on the Mountain of Transfiguration where a tremendous encounter with Heavenly Father had taken place. So, initially, Jesus…
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God’s Grace Is All You Need!
2Corinthians 12:9(NLT) “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” I was in my late twenties and was going through a very emotional time when this verse…
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The Kind of Love that Has Stickability
So many people in the world believe that love is an uncontrollable feeling and that we don’t have the ability to choose who we fall in love with. They believe that when you meet the right person, your heart will let you know. The reality is that God created us in His own image. He…
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Let Me Pray on It
Colossians 2:7(NLT) “Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Eric had a reputation as a serial dater. An engineer, he’s good looking, smooth, and very confident. He’s always been…
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A Guaranteed Blocker
Psalm 4:3(ESV) says, “But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.” To be Godly is to exhibit qualities that are in God’s nature. These are qualities like being loving, kind, generous, thoughtful, joyful, peaceful, full of faith, strong, consistent, and persevering. Heavenly Father…
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God Will Help Keep Our Marriages Strong
1Peter 2:9(NLT) proclaims, “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” Heavenly Father tells us that we’re…
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When It’s Time to Close the Door
When Gladys opened her own boutique, a lifelong dream had been realized. Her store featured unique and designer clothing and limited home interior items. Her husband, Rich, took a loan from his retirement account to finance the venture, and Gladys had saved for years as well. When they spotted the perfect location, everything fell into…
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Relationships Are Not Playthings
Years ago, I had a conversation with a Christian man that had been married for over 10 years, but then he and his wife divorced. He was thinking of starting to date again, but he and his ex-wife had struggled a lot with trying to hold the marriage together. We don’t always allow for the…
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Do Ultimatums Work?
Acts 17:26(NLT) tells us, “From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.” For the unmarried woman believer that desires to be married to her destiny partner, Acts17:26 must sink deep within her soul. Society tries to program…
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Handling the Gift That’s on Its Way
“God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12 (NLT) I’ve heard from many single Christian women that tell me they don’t know how much longer they can wait on the Lord. It’s clear from their…
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God Is Merciful and His Grace is Amazing!
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for being so good to us. You are awesome and amazing, and being Your sons and daughters is a privilege too wonderful for words. You are holy and good all the time, and You have called us to be Your holy and set-apart people. You tell us in Ephesians 5:1…
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Why Did It Have to Be So Bad?
Years ago, when my childhood friend confronted her mother about the abuse that they both had endured from her father, it was like I left my body. Having just graduated from college, I was looking forward to spending time with them and enjoying their company and conversation. It had not occurred to me that my…
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How Long Have You Been Waiting?
John 5:3-6(NLT) “3 Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches.[a] 5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”” In the Gospel of John,…
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You’re So Incredibly Close!
I should have been enjoying my summer trip home to North Carolina but instead, I was feeling sorry for myself. Sitting on the flight alone again with not even a prospect of a boyfriend or husband to introduce to my family. I couldn’t ever remember a time when I felt lonelier. No doubt there are…
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You Must Not Ever Look Back!
Galatians 5:22-23(NLT) states, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Many of us learned about the fruit of the Spirit in Sunday School. There may have been cartoonish drawings of various fruits and lessons about them that were made very…
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Avoiding Sexual Sin
If we want to have a blatantly honest conversation about the subject, the truth is that marriage isn’t for everyone. It just isn’t. Our Heavenly Father is perfect. He never needs to do a do-over, He never makes a mistake, and He doesn’t do anything without it having a specific reason and function within His…
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We Will Harvest What We Plant
“If he can’t see my worth, I’m done with him.” Isn’t this one of the most self-affirming statements a woman can make? I heard a sister in Christ say this after she had been expecting her boyfriend of several years to pop the question, and he never did. It is absolutely true that whether a…
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God’s Goodness and Mercy Endure Forever!
Dear Heavenly Father, You are holy, good, and merciful to Your people. Thank You for loving and blessing us through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Through him, You have blessed us with all spiritual blessings. You tell us in Colossians 2:10 that we are complete through our union with Christ, who is the head over all…
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A Man Drenched in God’s Favor
Colossians 3:12-13(NLT) “12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Emotional, psychological, and physical pain can…
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Yes, It’s You, Not them!
My grandmother tells me of a time when neighbors looked out for each other’s kids, and when one didn’t have, the other stepped in and offered to share what they had. Things were not easy, but she remembers this time with fondness and always tells me that people were very different then than they are…
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God’s Word Is Sweeter Than Honey
Proverbs 7:4-15(NLT) “4 Love wisdom like a sister; make insight a beloved member of your family. 5 Let them protect you from an affair with an immoral woman, from listening to the flattery of a promiscuous woman. 6 While I was at the window of my house, looking through the curtain, 7 I saw some…
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Sharp Discernment
The common definition of what it means to discern is to perceive or recognize something. This definition assumes the one that is discerning possesses some level of background information on the two or more things they are attempting to discern. For instance, it isn’t too difficult for most people to discern the difference between a…
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Turn Your Weariness to Excitement!
Lately, my youngest daughter has been singing a familiar tune around the house. It’s new to her but not to me. It’s an oldie but goodie, and it encourages us not to worry about a thing, because everything is going to be alright. When I asked my daughter how she knew the song, she said…
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Let the Peace of Christ Rule
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for being so wonderful to all of us. Your Word declares that even when we are not faithful to You, You are forever faithful to us. You allow the sun to shine every day. You planted the moon and stars far above, and You send the rain when we need…
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An ‘Okay to Proceed’ from God
Genesis 1: 31; Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! Just as a kitchen is the heart of a home, marriage is at the heart of God’s plan for unity and eternity. Marriage is God’s institution. He established the truth that when you have a strong…
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The Key that Unlocks His Blessings
During a discussion, Tracy said that they never talk about sex, serious relationship issues or anything pertaining to abstinence at her place of worship. She said her spiritual leader doesn’t preach about subjects that might cause offense to their congregants. She made this remark when someone asked her how things were going with her significant…
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When Your Temperature Is Hot for God
Ephesians 6:18(NLT) tells us, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Some of you may be thinking the same as I did when I initially heard this verse. In my spiritual infancy, praying in the Spirit and on every…
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Don’t Pretend, Let God Give You Something Real
My heart was racing as I dialed a number that I had called hundreds of times before. It was 3:42pm, and I knew the moment I heard his voice that he was going to speak words that would paint the exact reality I didn’t want. In a manner that conveyed his tender heart as well…