"Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother's womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things."

Ecclesiastes 11:5

I have a young daughter who often asks me, "Mama, do you know everything?" This is a very humbling moment for me, as you can imagine, as there are many things I don't understand. For example, how does your skin hold you all together, yet it's so fragile that even paper can cut it? How do galaxies keep going and never end? How does God make every snowflake unique?

I can become overwhelmed by what I don't know, and there will be many times that I won't understand what God is doing in my life. I have the choice as to how I handle those conflicting feelings. I can choose to trust, even when I am filled with doubt, and I can choose to press on, even though I am weak and worn.

Even if my mind can't comprehend it, I can rest in the fact that He is working it out for my good. His ways are so much higher than ours, and the plan He has for our lives is so intricate and beautiful.

If you are in a season of uncertainty and questions, you aren't alone. Feeling doubt and worry is a normal human response, but that does not change the fact that He still reigns and is in absolute control.

Even if we have moments of uncertainty, we don't have to remain there. We can surrender our questions, fear and anxiety to Him today. He has been and will always be victorious - He cannot fail!

Devotion by Caitlin Walker

"And the disciples said to him, "Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?" And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish." And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over."

Matthew 15:33-37 ESV

Sometimes the task of reaching a lost and broken world can feel overwhelming and frightening. Cancel culture threatens us into silence, sin is celebrated, and many loved ones have walked away from the truth. It's devastating, and if we aren't careful, we will begin to shrink back and quiet ourselves. We are living in desolate times - a place of loneliness, confusion and questions.

The disciples in the above scriptures ask, in the literal sense, where they will find enough bread to feed the crowd. It was their desolate place, and I imagine that they were perplexed and unsure of what to do in that moment.

John 6:35 says this: "Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

Desolate places are sure to come, but Jesus is reminding us today that He is the bread of life, and He will always be found in the valley. Whatever you have need of, He can supply because HE is enough. We must not allow ourselves to accept defeat in the valley. God's silence does not mean His absence. In those trying, difficult times we must hold fast to hope and the truth that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Devotion by Caitlin Walker

"Forty years later, in the desert near Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to Moses in the flame of a burning bush."

Acts 7:30

Life has a funny way of catching us off guard, and usually at the most inconvenient times. Have you ever noticed that God can work that way as well?

Moses probably thought that chapter of his life was over, after all, forty years had passed. But that is usually when God is up to something… in the silent, quiet, 'everything is going well' seasons of life.

When I read this portion of scripture, this thought instantly came to my mind: God can call you at any time in your life. You may believe that the time for ministry or something new is long gone, but that may not be true.

If you have breath in your lungs today, God has a purpose for you. Open yourself up to something new and exciting. Instead of just dipping your toes in the water, dive in. His will is perfect, and His plan for your life is beyond what you could ever dream.

Devotion by Caitlin Walker

"My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning."

Psalms 130:6 KJV

We often associate night with trials, and darkness with struggle and rough seasons of life. I don't know about you, but I do not enjoy harsh seasons. I see them as something I need to suffer through and claw my way out of, barely surviving.

The above scripture in the New Living Translation says this, "I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn." A sentry is a soldier who stands guard all night to watch for enemy attacks, fires, unauthorized people, etc. They are the first line of defense, and their main goal is to signal to the people they protect that danger isn't far off.

I imagine a soldier, standing at the ready with drowsy eyelids, forcing himself to stay awake. The people's very survival depended on this man watching the horizon all night. I would be terrible at night shifts, so I can only imagine how hard a job this would be. I can hear the sigh of relief when the first ray of sunshine peeks over the horizon.

I have to ask myself, do I wait and watch for the Lord as these men did? Am I anticipating His arrival, anxiously awaiting to see miracles, signs and wonders? Do I see deliverance off in the distance, or am I consumed with frustration because I can't seem to see Him working?

Lift up your eyes today! Just as the sentries watch for the sunrise, wait and watch for the Lord. He will show up, He will work it out and He is coming back for His people! Keep hoping, believing and praying. He is always on time.

Devotion by Caitlin Walker

Romans 12:2 ESV

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

The word "world" in the above scripture means "period of time, age." The age that we live in is one that is riddled with those who are struggling to win the war in their minds. Our thoughts hold us captive, and freedom seems to elude us.

We are warned not to be conformed (to become similar, to comply, to agree) to this world, and then we are also told how not to do this. We must be transformed by the renewal of our minds. So how do we do that? 2 Corinthians 5:17 says this: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

We must always be in Christ. We must, as Psalm 91:1 says, "Abide under the shadow of the Almighty." We are called to daily place ourselves under the care and protection that God offers. It requires a humble attitude, a determined mind and a heart that desires more of God.

We will be tested and tried in this life, but when our minds have been renewed, we will gain wisdom and understanding for the road ahead.

Devotion by Caitlin Walker

Matthew 14:15-20 ESV

"Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." But Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children."

In the above story, a huge crowd was following Jesus and ended up in a very remote, desolate place. They had no quick access to a fast-food restaurant, and by the sounds of it, even villages were a bit of a journey away. The disciples wanted to send the people away so that they could buy their own food, but Jesus, recognizing their immediate need for sustenance, tells them to give the crowd something to eat.

All that they could muster up were five loaves of bread and two measly fish. This was obviously not enough to feed a crowd of that size, but Jesus is excellent at taking very little and multiplying it. I can imagine the disciples were perhaps even a little embarrassed to give Jesus so little; after all, it logically was not enough. But Jesus simply says "bring them here to me" and then He does what He does best.

He multiplied.

Jesus can mold and shape what little you have into something grand and glorious. The remnants of shattered dreams and a broken heart can be restored and transformed into a beautiful creation. The only requirement is that you bring it to Him. Take those few timid steps in His direction today, you have no reason to fear or to be ashamed.

Place your life into His capable hands, and watch as He immediately sets to work, creating an exquisite masterpiece.

Devotion by Caitlin Walker

Psalms 34:18 ESV

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."

I'm sure many of us have experienced a situation that left us with a broken heart. I recall one specific break-up in high school that left me with swollen eyes, a bad case of the sniffles, and a heart that felt like it had been shattered into a million pieces. Of course, in high school, this quite literally felt like the end of the world to me. I am glad to report that I have since recovered.

There are many different seasons that we will encounter and be asked to endure in this life. Every experience is unique to the individual and is dealt with, grieved, and processed differently. What may seem to be a minor issue to you could cause significant damage and heartache to another.

In the King James version, Psalms 34:18 reads " The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." And according to Strong's, the phrase "unto them that are of a broken" is translated as "break, destroy, break in pieces, break down, torn, and give birth."

One biblical use of this phrase is "to cause to break out, bring to the birth."

What may be seen as a devastating tragedy, could in actuality be the one event that brings forth new life, new purpose, fresh anointing, and new understanding. Yes, it may be painful and you may not understand what God is doing, but I am writing to remind you today that God is near to those who are brokenhearted and to those who are crushed in spirit.

Hold on child of God. What the enemy meant for evil, God is turning around. There is new life just around the corner.

Devotion by Caitlin Walker

"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Hebrews 13:20-21

To be like Jesus, To be like Jesus.

All I ask, to be like Him.

This chorus has been running through my mind as I prayed and studied for these devotions over the past week. I know I have a long way to go to be like Jesus. But I am thankful that He is patient and long-suffering with me. He is still working on me, making me what He wants me to be.

When we read the story of Paul, we think of him as a fitting example of a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. And yet, he struggled and wrote of how he fell short of what he felt the Lord wanted. Philippians chapter three records his feelings. I like how it appears in the J.B. Phillips New Testament:

Philippians 3:12-14 "Yet, my brothers, I do not consider myself to have "arrived", spiritually, nor do I consider myself already perfect. But I keep going on, grasping ever more firmly that purpose for which Christ grasped me. My brothers, I do not consider myself to have fully grasped it even now. But I do concentrate on this: I leave the past behind and with hands outstretched to whatever lies ahead I go straight for the goal - my reward the honour of being called by God in Christ."

None of us are perfect. We all make mistakes. We cannot change our past. But we can learn from our failures and ask the Lord to help us not to repeat them. Paul gave us some great instructions:

Philippians 4:6-7"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Thought For Today: I cannot change my past, but today I choose to do my best to live so that others will see Jesus in me.

Devotion by: Anne Johnston

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12

The word "love" is used so carelessly in our world today. How many times do we hear people express their love for a certain food or for a particular piece of clothing? Love in the entertainment world is shallow and fickle. But to those of us who know the Lord, the word "love" is special.

John 3:16 (KJV) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life".

Jesus demonstrated true love in every part of His ministry. His love extended to people from every social class. He touched the people with leprosy. He mourned with those who mourned. He showed love to the children. To the rich or poor, prominent, or outcast, His love remained the same. He taught His disciples that they were to pass that love along to one another.

John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

In I Corinthians 13, Paul shows us what loving others as Christ loves us will produce in our lives. Look at Verses four to eight in the New Living Translation:

"Love is patient and kind.

Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.

It does not demand its own way.

It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.

It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."

Each day as we seek to imitate Christ, we ask the Lord to give us the strength we need to practice these things and thus show His love to the world around us.

Thought For Today: Do my actions towards others show my love for Christ?

Devotion by: Anne Johnston

"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." Matthew 5:7

During His earthly ministry, Jesus often used stories to teach His disciples about His kingdom. One such story is recorded in Matthew 18:21-35.

A king was going over his accounts and noticed that one of his servants owed him a considerable sum of money. He summoned him and said that he needed payment immediately. The servant did not have the money to repay him, so the king ordered that he and his family were to be sold into bondage. Falling to his knees, the servant asked for time to repay his debt. The king was moved with compassion towards him, and in mercy forgave the debt entirely.

Rejoicing, the servant left the king's presence. But he met a friend who owed him a small amount of money and demanded payment. Instead of listening to his plea for time, he had him cast into prison. When news of this reached the king, he was incredibly angry and withdrew his earlier forgiveness. The original debt must be paid in full.

We owed a debt we could never pay. But Jesus went to Calvary, paid the price for all our sins, and extended His mercy freely to all who would accept Him.

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Titus 3:5

"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

In Romans 12:5-8, Paul reminds us that we are all members of one body. He lists the gifts of grace that have been committed to us, and how we should exercise them. He speaks of prophecy, ministry, exhorting, teaching, and other gifts. Then he ends with these words: "he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness."

When we consider how many times the Lord has shown mercy on us, how thankful we should be. We have all made mistakes and failures, but when we go to Him in prayer, He has mercy on us and forgives. So, we extend mercy to others.

Thought For Today: We imitate Jesus by showing mercy with cheerfulness.

Devotion by: Anne Johnston