Tag: Advice

Embracing the Process

While reflecting on the example of growing as a horse rider, consider how God might be calling you to grow as a believer.

I work at a horse riding stable, and one of my favorite parts of the job is witnessing students transition into competent riders.

That often means they don’t need help cleaning their horses’ hooves or assistance with getting their horses to move faster than a walk. It becomes natural for them to know when to circle their horses to make space, recite horse anatomy and tack, and understand the basics of how they should ride and interact with horses, even if they mess up sometimes.

In my mind, my students are transitioning from simply being horse admirers to becoming true horse riders.

This transition isn’t just a joy for instructors, like myself, to witness. I notice the smiles on my students’ faces when they are able to feel independent and try harder activities during lessons.

But this next stage in riding development comes with its own challenges too. I have higher expectations for my students because I know that they know how they are supposed to ride. If their heels are up or their horses are crowding another horse, I will remind them of how they should be. As they perform harder assignments, I might point out more detailed things for them to work on than before.

Before, it was simply about getting their horses where they wanted them to go without falling off. Now, it’s about the refinement period. Making sure my riders not only ride confidently, but with intention and poise.

Even deeper than that, it’s about getting my riders to make the last transition. Not from students to jockeys or olympians. But from horse riders to horse lovers.

In order to be a horse lover, you must ultimately care more about your horse than about whether or not you successfully rode a pattern or cantered faster than your friends. You must know your horse so well, you can notice and understand their movements and expressions and fears. You must be willing to do what it takes to care for your horse, whether that means cleaning their stinky stall or giving your horse a break when they are tired.

If you’re a regular on my blog, you might be wondering why you just had to read all about becoming a horse lover when you don’t spend any time with horses. (Though if you are a fellow horse lover, big high-five!) But I promise, the process of becoming a horse lover is relevant to your life, even if you never get on a horse.

That’s because this process mirrors our spiritual journey with God.

Consider it this way:

We must first express interest in having a relationship with God and ask for His forgiveness. Then, we make a commitment, whether it be attending church or small group or Bible study, to grow in that faith. Even as we participate in Christian community, we are still baby Christians at this stage. We are often reliant on others to hold our hands through this process and help us understand a God we admire, but do not fully know for ourselves.

Through prayer, discipleship, and ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit, we transition into independent Christians. Community is still vital to our faith–it always will be–but perhaps we are doing some of the leading. We feel more comfortable reading the Bible on our own and bringing our thoughts to the table. We have a sound understanding of what it means to be a Christian and we are starting to know what God’s voice sounds like.

While this season is exciting, it comes with its own challenges. Our faith might be tested for the first time. We may have harder questions to grapple with. Sometimes we experience loneliness or isolation where we must rely on God fully. This is a season of preparation, though, for the beauty that is to come.

And this stage is what generally lasts the longest because we cannot enter the third stage until we are reunited with Jesus in Heaven. We can become more mature as we wait on the Lord by spending time with Him and becoming more like Him in word and deed.

But we cannot fully know or love Him until we have completed the process of sanctification. Another word for this is glorification, which means we have been brought to perfection in Christ.

So what does this mean for us today?

We must prepare for when we will be reunited with God again. We shouldn’t be obsessed over when exactly that will happen–that will just create fear in us. But we should spend this time getting to know God and allowing His love to influence our daily lives and decisions. Through this process, there is grace, for we can trust that even when we make mistakes, God’s love for us remains.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Romans 5:1-5

Reflection Questions:

How might God be calling you to grow to become more like Him today?

What in your routine or relationships might need to change?

Celebrating 5 Years of The Will to Wake Up!

Reflecting on the past while finding hope in the future.

The most beautiful things can come out of the hardest situations.

If you had told me that on September 21st, 2019, I would’ve plugged my ears and ran away.

That day felt like the final kick in the shins after a fight already lost. In 2019, life felt like it was spiraling out of control. There were so many difficult situations, from a car accident to broken friendships to losing loved ones, and ongoing torments, like loneliness, grief, and guilt. In many ways, it was my “coming-of-age” year.

Nothing horrible happened on September 21st. I just received news. News of things to come. Your dog is dying. Your crush likes someone else. Your friend is making harmful choices.

And all those things (even the thought of losing my furry best friend) would’ve probably seemed inconsequential after what I had experienced earlier that year.

But often, it’s when that last glimmer of hope is snuffed out that we feel the most in despair. The most alone. Our hope vanishes only when we let go of the belief that despite all we’ve gone through, goodness may still lie ahead.

I don’t consciously know why my solution to my problems was typing out a blog post about dealing with pain. Writing had always been my way of processing things, but my writing had also always been personal.

The name for the blog came instantly to me, which felt like a sign since it usually takes forever for me to decide on names! Perhaps it was because in that moment, I needed someone to remind me why I should continue forward, continue waking up each morning. Slowly but surely, I allowed hope back into my heart.

Despite life’s ups and downs over the past five years, God has used His word, His people, and even this blog to be that reminder for me. That gentle nudge to say, “Hey, it’s okay. Even if this situation doesn’t turn out the way you planned, God is with you. You are not alone.”

No matter what shape this blog takes over the next five years, I hope that it remains two things:

  • a resting place where you can connect with God. The Spirit can speak through the verses, the words, even my own flawed insights, better than any person can.
  • a reminder that no matter what, you are not alone. You are so dearly loved.

What are you facing today? Is it difficult to imagine that there could still be more ahead? Yes, more challenges, but also more opportunities for joy and abundant life?

In prayer, consider asking God to help you surrender your fears, failures, hopes, and dreams to Him. As our divine creator, He knows better than anyone how to bring beauty out of any situation. And as His beautiful creation, no matter what, you can always run back to His loving arms and He will care for you.

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

– Romans 5:3-5

10 Verses to Encourage You in Your Relationships

Encouraging and supporting each other can bring joy and transformation, even reflecting Jesus’ sacrificial love.

Let’s be honest: relationships (whether friendly, romantic, familial or otherwise) can be complicated, especially when we love others enough to be authentic and empathetic with them. We experience each other’s wins and losses like our own.

Maybe right now you feel socially depleted or burned out. While rest, balance and boundaries are important in maintaining sustainable relationships, we also must persevere through rocky patches in order to cultivate deep and meaningful relationships.

These first five verses instruct us as to how to live out godly relationships.

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians 2:1-4

When we experience the selfless love of Christ, we will have the desire to share that love with those in our lives.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

John 13:34-35

Loving one another shows those even outside of our relationships that we have been transformed by the work of Jesus.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

Galatians 5:13

We don’t always get to choose who is in our lives, but we do get to choose how we relate to them. When we approach others with humility, we will be able to cultivate authentic and trusting relationships. Even if others are unwilling to accept our kindness, we know that we are still honoring God by being loving.

“If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” (Jesus)

Luke 17:3-4

Loving others doesn’t mean we pretend like they are perfect. When conflict arises, it’s loving to address it and work through it for the health of the relationship. When the other person also puts in the work of reconciling, it’s vital that we forgive them rather than hold onto bitterness.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. 

Romans 12:15-16

There are some relationships that look like walking through life side-by-side. There will be other relationships that may only be rekindled a few times a year due to busy schedules or geographical distance. Regardless of how close you are to a loved one, when you are together, it’s important to be fully present. Few acts of love are greater than temporarily setting aside your own feelings in order to comfort or encourage someone going through an emotional time.

Now, here are five verses to encourage you to be hopeful about your relationships. While they require work and energy, they can also be a huge source of joy.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:24-25

(Fun fact: this verse is what kept me going when I first started a Bible study and felt discouraged by the lack of participants. But God has blessed me for continuing to meet by bringing new participants and deepening my friendships with them. I’m so glad I didn’t give up!)

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Proverbs 27:17

I always say that the best relationships are the ones where you can encourage each other to become the best versions of yourselves. While sharpening one another can lead to some friction, in the end both parties are transformed into their best design through the process.

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

Proverbs 17:17

There are few things as comforting as a caring friend during a challenging season of life.

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

John 15:13

“Life” can mean more than life versus death. When we are willing to drop everything to help out a friend or carve out time each week to be present with loved ones, we are expressing sacrificial love too.

But this verse is even more significant when considering its context. Jesus went on to add:

You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

John 15:14-15

We know that Jesus loves us in the deepest sense of the word because He gave up not only His livelihood in Heaven, but His physical life as well, so that we can spend eternity with Him. Though we are simply His creation, Jesus views us as His closest companions, His very own friends! How incredible is that? And we can love Him in return by obeying and trusting Him.

Today, have peace in the knowledge that you are Jesus’ beloved friend. Consider how you might go about your day differently with this blessing in your heart. How might you bless others in your life today?

God is Our Refuge

When we remember what an extraordinary God we serve, everything else falls into perspective.

As I was discerning the passage for this week’s devotional, I felt God pulling me away from Acts and toward Psalm 57.

This psalm has been on my heart over the past few months, particularly as I’ve faced unknowns and entered new situations. Let’s read through this passage and ask God how He’s speaking to us today.

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
    for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
    until the disaster has passed.

Psalm 57:1

This passage makes me imagine a warm, feathery bird wrapping its wings around little chicks in a thunderstorm. Together, they huddle in a little cave, kept safe by the parent bird’s wings. On their own, the little chicks wouldn’t be able to protect themselves in the storm. They would get all damp, cold, and muddy–they might even get swept away. But it’s within their parent’s nature to hold them close and keep them warm.

It’s within God’s nature to hold us close to His heart. Sometimes this means providing us comfort and rest. Other times, God sets us free to try out our own wings, but even then He is with us. He never lets us fly out of His loving sight.

How might you want to experience God’s refuge this week?

I cry out to God Most High,
    to God, who vindicates me.
3 He sends from heaven and saves me,
    rebuking those who hotly pursue me—
    God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.

Psalm 57:2-3

When we experience injustice, regardless of its magnitude, our natural instinct is to take matters into our own hands. But because we are broken people, we will never be able to handle situations perfectly on our own. When we rely on God to help us handle difficult situations, we will feel strengthened by His love and faithfulness.

What is a difficult situation you’re currently experiencing? How is God leading you to respond to it?

I am in the midst of lions;
    I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
    whose tongues are sharp swords.

They spread a net for my feet—
    I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
    but they have fallen into it themselves.

Psalm 57:4,6

I’m not sure about you, but the most “ravenous beast” in my life is my growling dog guarding his treat. However, there can be metaphorical lions and beasts in our lives that cause us suffering.

For example, perhaps you have a difficult person in your life whose words have pierced you like sharp swords. Or maybe you’re facing a problem that feels as ginormous as a ravenous beast.

No matter what you are struggling with, God is bigger than it. Your burdens are too heavy for you to carry alone, but they will never be too much for God.

What is a burden that you’ve been reluctant to give to God?

My heart, O God, is steadfast,
    my heart is steadfast;
    I will sing and make music.
8 Awake, my soul!
    Awake, harp and lyre!
    I will awaken the dawn.

Psalm 57:7-8

Having a heart that’s steadfast means even when our circumstances aren’t ideal or our faith isn’t as fiery as in past seasons, we are still devoted to God. Often, the reason why we don’t feel as close to God isn’t because He’s gone anywhere, but because we haven’t taken the time to praise Him.

When our faith is reliant on God’s character rather than our shifting emotions and circumstances, we won’t fear losing our faith because it is grounded in what always stays the same: God.

Go through the alphabet and list out at least one corresponding characteristic of God for each letter. As a bonus, think of specific instances when you’ve witnessed God revealing that characteristic in your life or in the Bible.

I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
    let your glory be over all the earth.

Psalm 57:9-11

When we step back and realize what an extraordinary God we serve, everything else falls into perspective.

Yes, there are frustrating, even harmful people, out there. Yes, the world is broken. Yes, we might be in the middle of a storm right now. There are so many difficult things in the world, things to be afraid of.

Except that the most powerful being in the universe loves us and has given us a purpose. He hasn’t abandoned us. He is here even now, wherever you are, listening patiently and ready to guide you on your life path.

We can be faithful to God by obeying His commands and asking for forgiveness when we make mistakes. We can obey God by transforming each day to become more and like Jesus through loving others, living out His truth, and cultivating the fruits of the Spirit.

Thankfully, our faith doesn’t rely on whether or not we do things perfectly. God’s faithfulness is perfect, and through it all, He is our refuge.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1

Here is a wonderful worship song based on Psalm 57!

Discerning God’s Call

Do you ever wish you could directly hear God’s calling on your life?

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel a little jealous of the early Christians, mainly because of how clearly they heard God’s calling.

Take the disciple Philip, for example. The Holy Spirit whisked him away from one location to the next so that he would reach the exact people he was meant to reach (Acts 8:26-40). He likely didn’t spend days, weeks, months, or years on his knees asking God where he was meant to go. He was just sent!

In many ways, the early church’s relationship with God resembles the Israelites’ relationship with Him in the Old Testament. They heard God’s voice audibly and/or through His appointed prophets. They always knew what He wanted them to do, even if they unfortunately didn’t obey Him.

As I’ve been learning how to discern in my own life (without God’s audible voice telling me what to do), I came across this passage:

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

– Acts 16: 6-10 (NIV)

Notice these phrases:

  • “having been kept by the Holy Spirit”
  • “but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to”
  • “concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them”

I was reminded through this passage that God spoke to the early church in different ways and He continues to speak to us in different ways, too. And even when He spoke directly to them through visions or the Spirit, they still had to exercise patience and discernment.

The Christians thought they were supposed to preach in one location, only for the Spirit to call them elsewhere. They might’ve felt frustrated or confused at first, wondering why God would tell them no. But they obeyed, allowing themselves to finally hear a direct calling from God.

You might’ve noticed that the vision didn’t come overnight. They traveled to multiple places, repeatedly being prevented by the Spirit (I’m curious what that looked like), from spreading the good news there. But once they heard the call, they “got ready at once,” or in some translations, “immediately” left for Macedonia.

The Greek translation for “calling” in verse 10 means “to call to one’s self, to summon, to invite”. When we wait and listen patiently for God’s call, we aren’t just waiting to hear what task He has in store for us. We are being invited into God’s presence. When we say yes to His call, we are being drawn closer to God’s own self.

Just sit with that for a moment. We, God’s mere creation, are given the invitation to be brought to God’s own self.

Even if that invitation is brought to us differently than it was in the past, it’s still the same invitation. An invitation to not only do God’s work, but to be part of God’s family.

Today, we have many ways to hear God’s voice, even if they feel less direct than in the past.

Here are a few examples:

  • Reading the Bible and getting to know God’s character and teachings so that we can discern what God might call us to do versus what would be sinful.
  • Spending time in Christian community and receiving wise counsel from people God chooses to speak through.
  • Praying to God directly and spending time in God’s presence, getting to know Him better so that we can become more like Him.
  • And most of all, as believers we still have the Holy Spirit living inside us.

The Spirit moves in many ways, whether through the above avenues, or through visions, prophetic words, or miracles. While we shouldn’t necessarily expect these less common things to happen, we should never place limits on what the Spirit can do. Even having the Spirit inside of us is supernatural in and of itself.

We often talk about how the Holy Spirit is living inside of us, but the Spirit is not limited to our bodies’ capabilities. When we realize we are just one little sliver of a reflection of God, as we are created in His image, we can tap into the supernatural fruits the Spirit offers: love, joy, peace and patience, to name a few.

I encourage you to spend time with God today and ask Him how He might be leading you. Have peace in the process, knowing that all good things take time. And being in God’s presence is the best thing of all.

Miraculous Prayer

Join us for this week’s devotional which introduces lectio divina and encourages us to reflect on Peter’s miraculous escape from prison.

For this week’s devotional, we’re going to do something a little different! There’s a spiritual practice called lectio divina, which centers around listening to what the Holy Spirit might be saying through scripture by rereading a shorter passage multiple times and asking ourselves different questions each time.

Before we get going, I’ll share some context about our passage.

As the early church gained believers, outside leaders, such as King Herod, grew angry and violent toward the Christians. Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples and a prominent leader in the early church, was arrested for preaching the good news of Jesus’ love and salvation. He was supposed to face a death sentence, until something unexpected happened…

One of my friends who introduced me to lectio divina always starts the process by asking the Spirit to be present with us, and I encourage you to do the same.

Holy Spirit come. Fill us with your presence and guide our reading today.

For our first reading, let’s just understand the story.

Today’s passage: Peter’s Miraculous Escape from Prison

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”

15 “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”

16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.

– Acts 12:5-17 (NIV)

This time, close your eyes and listen to the reading (this is a recording of all of Acts 12, so feel free to pause when you get to verse 17). As you listen, notice if there are any words or phrases that stand out to you, and write them down.

For our third reading, listen to the passage again. Ask yourself these questions:

  • Which character do I relate to in this story?
  • How would I be feeling if I were in Peter’s shoes? Or in Rhoda’s shoes?
  • If I were one of the prayerful believers, would I have been surprised to see Peter survive?
  • Do I feel imprisoned or inhibited by anything today?

For our fourth reading, consider these questions:

  • How might the Spirit be speaking through this passage into a specific circumstance or relationship I’m experiencing?
  • How would I like to grow in my prayer life? How about in my faith?
  • What is a phrase or image that comforts me in this passage?
  • What do I think freedom through Christ means and feels like?

To end our lectio divina, pray and ask God to guide you in the challenges you may face in your faith and thank Him for His provision. Ask Him if there is someone in your life He wants you to pray for. Prayer is more powerful than we can even imagine!

Faithfulness Overcomes Brokenness

Learning from the early church’s faithfulness amidst great obstacles.

Have you felt disappointed in your church? Perhaps attendance is low or the preaching feels repetitive. Maybe there’s division in your church over political or doctrinal differences. Or perhaps everything seems okay on the surface, but there’s just something lacking.

While the early church in the book of Acts struggled with many of the issues we still have today, through their faithfulness to Jesus and commitment to gathering, they were able to survive and even enjoy times of peace and joy.

As we read through today’s passage, I want you to consider two questions:

  1. What act(s) of faith did the early Christians take in this passage?
  2. How were they blessed by their faithfulness?

Read:

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

– Acts 9:19-31 (NIV)

We often forget what Saul (otherwise known as Paul) was like before he surrendered to Jesus and became the apostle who wrote most of the New Testament. The early believers had every reason to be afraid of him. He participated in the killing of their fellow believers, who were their friends and family.

Their first act of faith in this passage, taken first by Barnabas, was believing in the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. In order to be a Christian, you must believe that God is supernatural. Just as Jesus died and rose again, when we are saved, we go through the process of becoming a new creation.

But easier said than done when it means believing that another person, especially a person who has hurt us, has changed.

While Paul was was clearly zealous for the Lord, given that he put his life at risk to share the gospel, I’m sure the believers weren’t thrilled by the prospect of inviting him into their sacred spaces. They were putting their lives at risk.

Though once Barnabas shared Paul’s testimony, the believers were willing to accept that God’s powerful work had changed Paul’s heart. This act of faith revealed their deep trust in God with their lives.

Once they helped Paul, they experienced a time of peace and strength from the Holy Spirit. I believe that this peace and strength came out of their act of faith. They were confirmed in their trust in God, and they were strengthened by the testing of their faith.

Today, we aren’t often willing to go out of our comfort zone, especially to put ourselves at risk for others. What if we were not only more trusting in God, but we were also willing to sacrifice our own comfort or resources to help others, especially other believers? Imagine how bonded church communities would be if we were willing to sacrifice for each other.

Unfortunately, churches often make it their primary goal to increase the number of their congregants rather than focus on strengthening the relationships within their current congregation. While one of the blessings the early church received in this passage was an increase in believers, that only came after they were intentionally glorifying God and listening to the Holy Spirit.

What if we made it our mission to honor God, follow the leading of the Spirit, and love each other as Jesus loves us? I believe the numbers would follow, only because of our supernatural example of faithfulness.

Though it will take time, patience, and perseverance to see changes in our faith communities, and even in ourselves, with the help of the Spirit, all things are possible.

Reflection:

You may not be in a position to change your church’s mission, and that’s okay! Change starts with us individually when we align our hearts to Jesus.

  • How might God be calling you to act on your faith today?
  • How have you been influenced by someone’s selfless generosity before?
  • Who has God placed on your heart to intentionally show love toward today?

Prayer:

Thank God for specific ways He’s been faithful to you. Ask Him to help you discern how you might live out this passage today.

Encouragement Thursday Devotionals

Join us every Thursday for the next 4 weeks for encouragement from Acts!

Hey everyone! 🙂

I hope you are doing well. As I’ve been discerning how to reengage with this blog, I remembered “Encouragement Thursdays,” which I created because Thursdays have always felt like a “blah” day to me that could use a little encouragement. So I would intentionally post every Thursday to encourage all of you (and myself 🙂 ).

In a chaotic world, what we need most is rest and reconnection with the Lord. When we take the time to rest, we can turn back to Him and remember that He is faithful, so we should be faithful to Him.

For the next month, I will be sharing Encouragement Thursdays again, going through a few sections of Acts to explore how the early church was able to survive despite persecution, differences of opinion, leadership issues, and temptations — essentially the human brokenness we still experience today.

I hope you will join me in prayer that together, we can grow closer to God and deepen our understanding of His character, as well as learn how we are to live a life of faith and love to all those in our communities.

Life Update and Encouragement :)

He who promised is faithful ❤

Hey everyone!

I don’t know about you, but 2024 has been a whirlwind year thus far. Summer is often a great time to reflect on the past few months and consider the future with hope.

Thank you so much for sticking with me through this year! We’ve undergone some exciting changes, like finally getting our own domain (!!), adding a features section, and creating an inspirational video.

Personally, 2024 has been a year of transition. In June, I graduated college with my B.A. in Professional and Creative Writing. Leading up to that, I left one of my part-time jobs, gained more leadership responsibilities in my current job, lost a grandparent, found a new church, and experienced many relational highs and lows. It’s crazy how events and situations that carry such weight can be summarized in a few mere words!

On top of that, I’ve been asking God how He wants me to move forward in life, particularly with writing. I believe He’s led me to join a writing program that will equip me to complete longer, high quality projects in a faith-based environment. I’m excited to begin this program next month, though I admit I’ve been wrestling with anxiety over what comes after that.

Above all, God’s been gently reminding me that I need to surrender to His will. That’s a concept we don’t like in a very self-sufficient, independent society. We are comfortable when we feel like we have control.

But if I’ve learned anything over the course of my life, it’s that we are not in control. I am not in control. And maybe that’s for the best.

If you are struggling with this concept, remember the things you really wanted at earlier stages of your life, maybe even just a few years ago.

If your desires came into fruition, how would your life be different now?

What would you have missed out on if you had gotten what you wanted?

Often, because we can’t see the big picture, our desires aren’t in alignment with what’s best for us. Even when we make mistakes and chase harmful desires, we are not powerful enough to thwart God’s plan for us. When we turn to Him and ask for help, we will start to see how He can redeem any situation.

And when we are following Him, we will be safest of all.

That doesn’t mean we won’t experience pain and hardship, but it does mean we have peace knowing we are on the right path, protected by our Shepherd. We are not walking the path of life alone.

As I head into this next season of life, I will discern how God wants to shape The Will to Wake Up. Even if posts continue to be irregular (I’m so sorry!) or the formatting shifts a bit, I hope you will continue to be part of this community.

Thank you for your patience, support, and encouragement! God bless you. ❤

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

– Hebrews 10:23-25 (NIV)

Reflection Questions:

  • What is one way you’ve needed to trust God in 2024?
  • What is something you’ve learned through a recent hardship?
  • Who is someone you’ve grown closer to this year?
  • What is an unexpected blessing you’ve experienced recently?
  • What do you hope for in the coming months?

5 Tips for Restoring Your Love of Reading

I hope these simple practices help you as much as they’ve helped me!

Upon graduating college, I realized that even after earning a degree in English, all my years in school had stolen my enjoyment of reading!

School and technology have taught us to skim texts for key details rather than slow down and enjoy the journey. And when we’re required to spend hours reading books that feel either uninteresting or purposeless to us, we are more likely to hesitate in spending free time reading.

I can’t blame school entirely, though. It’s hard to prioritize reading when there are so many other entertainment options out there. But nothing beats being immersed in a wonderful story.

If you’re like me and you miss leisure reading, then you’ve come to the right article! Here are five (plus one) key practices you can use that will hopefully spark your love of reading again.

Listen to AudioBooks

If you’ve found yourself skimming or losing focus while reading, then perhaps you’d enjoy listening to a story rather than reading it. Audiobooks allow us to slow down and pay attention. They are even more fun when the voice actor(s) get into character!

Audiobooks also have the perk of allowing us to multitask while listening. Just make sure you’re doing an activity that doesn’t require too much thought, or else you might realize you missed a significant detail in the story!

You can access audiobooks through paid subscriptions like Audible or Spotify, but my favorite way to listen is free through my local library app!

Reread a beloved classic

My all-time favorite story is The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe. What’s yours? Have you reread it lately?

We often discount our classic favorites (whether they be ‘true’ classics or contemporary classics) because we deem them childish. However, children’s and young adult literature contain valuable lessons and compelling journeys. Writing to a younger audience often requires even stronger writing skills because authors have a stricter set of parameters to follow.

Sometimes, we just need to know we can finish a book, even a shorter one with more comprehensible language. Write down your top five favorite childhood/YA books and then read them again! You might be more encouraged than you realize.

start a book club

This one might seem daunting, especially if you’re struggling to even finish one book on your own. However, there is truly power in numbers. Sometimes, we just need one other person alongside us with a similar goal!

Your book club could consist of you and one other person, or you could gather a group of people to read with you. All you have to do is find someone who is willing to devote time to reading again. Then, pick a book you both would enjoy and find time to regularly discuss it.

This will not only keep you accountable, but it will also deepen your understanding of the book when you hear someone else’s perspective on it!

Move chapter by chapter

Perhaps the reason why you haven’t been able to read lately is because you don’t have enough time. That’s okay! We all have busier seasons of life, but even in those seasons we must find time to rest and restore.

If reading is restorative to you, consider blocking out time each day to simply read one chapter of a book. Or if the chapters in your novel are too long, then set a goal to read for a specific period of time each day, like twenty minutes. It’s okay if it takes you a long time to complete a book. All that matters is you are enjoying the process.

read in a new location

Reading allows us to enter new worlds and explore new possibilities. But perhaps escaping through the printed pages isn’t exhilarating enough for you. Maybe you need to find an interesting new location to read.

Here are a few ideas to get you started in your search for the perfect reading spot:

  • A local park
  • By the beach
  • In a quiet coffee shop
  • At the library
  • In your backyard
  • In a location that’s similar to a setting in your story

Extra tip: ask friends for reading recommendations!

For my birthday, one of my friends gave me a book list of her personal recommendations. Not only did this help me go in more openminded and trusting that with a fair shot, these would be interesting stories, but I ended up loving her selections!

If you are looking for some recommendations, here are a few of mine organized by genre:

Classic:

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

YA:

So Not Happening by Jenny B. Jones

Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan

Children’s:

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary

Poetry:

All Along You Were Blooming by Morgan Harper Nichols

Historical:

The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse

Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar

Just Mercy by Brian Stevenson (nonfiction)

Mystery:

The Maid by Nita Prose

Allegorical:

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis

Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard

Writing Advice:

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Christian Nonfiction:

Letters to the Church by Francis Chan

Now and Not Yet by Ruth Chou Simons

Breath as Prayer by Jennifer Tucker

Comment below your favorite book and what you love most about it!