MY Devotional: Daily Biblical Encouragement & Prayer from Leading The Way

Dr. Michael Youssef shares a vivid picture of spiritual inheritance: hearing his grandfather pray through the night for the next generation. It’s a reminder that we can build impressive lives on the outside while our spiritual homes quietly crumble on the inside—unless we return to the only foundation that holds: prayerful dependence on God.

In this episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Youssef explains why our children gain confidence in God when they see us clinging to His promises—and why neglecting prayer for (and with) the next generation leaves them spiritually unsure, untethered, and vulnerable to losing biblical moorings.

You’ll be challenged to shift from chasing worldly success to pursuing spiritual stability that endures—calling on the Lord for:

Behind many men and women God has used powerfully, someone was interceding. This devotional invites you to become that someone—trusting God to cultivate wisdom, strengthen resolve, deepen love for Him, and form the next generation into bold, faithful witnesses for His glory.

Prayer: Father, I pray that my children would trust You as they see me cling to Your promises. I pray that You would work in their lives and that they would have a deep, growing relationship with You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you” (Jeremiah 29:12).

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon series Preparing the Next Generation: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

God invites you to come to Him with every need—big or small. But in today’s MY Devotional, Dr. Michael Youssef challenges believers to move beyond “small” prayers that stay centered on comfort and into big prayers that seek God’s renown, praise, and honor among the nations (Jeremiah 33:9).

Dr. Youssef clarifies what makes these prayers powerful: they rise from hearts truly devoted to God—hearts that want Christ to be magnified, nonbelievers transformed, and the work of His Kingdom advanced. At the same time, he offers a sober warning: God sees every hidden motive. We can’t disguise selfish ambition as “for Your glory,” and we can’t pretend faith when we’re nurturing doubt.

As you grow in daily relationship with the Lord—learning His character and trusting His promises—your prayers naturally expand. You begin to pray with genuine faith because you know God is capable, willing, and faithful. And when your heart is clear before Him, Scripture says you can pray with confidence, receiving from Him as you seek to please Him (1 John 3:21–22).

This episode will help you realign your prayer life toward God’s glory—so you don’t just ask for outcomes, but for God to be seen, trusted, and honored through every outcome.

Prayer: God, help me to come to You with a heart that is in the right place. Help me pray big prayers that seek to glorify You and reveal Your majesty. May I seek You first and foremost. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon Call on Me, Call on Me for Great Things: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

Have you ever noticed that the moment you decide to pray, interruptions multiply—phone calls, doorbells, to-do lists, daydreams, even sleepiness? In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains why that’s not an accident. Prayer is sacred fellowship with your heavenly Father, and Satan will do whatever he can to disrupt it—because he knows prayer is a vital source of spiritual power.

Dr. Youssef reminds us that prayer is how we communicate with God, learn His heart, and grow in faith. It’s where we receive encouragement, strength, and the power to face life. That’s why Jesus urged believers—especially in chaotic times—to always pray and not give up (Luke 18:1). When prayer becomes only a crisis-response, we reveal we haven’t made prayer a daily relationship—thanking God in joy as quickly as we cry out in pain.

This devotional reframes prayer as more than requesting, persuading, or “getting God to act.” Prayer is the evidence of love, surrender, obedience, and sincerity—joyful, intimate communion with the Lord who wants to meet with you.

Prayer: Lord, please forgive me for neglecting prayer and time with You. Thank You for blessing me with an intimate relationship with You. Help me never to neglect my time with You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12).

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon series Call on Me: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

Do you ever find yourself praying like a sailor using a pump—only when the ship is leaking? In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef challenges the habit of “need-driven prayer,” where we pray furiously in crisis but neglect prayer when life feels stable.

Dr. Youssef offers simple, actionable guidance on how to take prayer seriously:

He also points to Jesus’ example of early-morning prayer—not as a rigid rule, but as a wise pattern that offers God the first fruits of your day. And even then, prayer doesn’t “end” after a quiet time; it continues through every situation because prayer is both discipline and lifestyle—the most important part of every day.

Prayer: Father, help me to take prayer seriously and to give You the time, space, and attention You deserve. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6).

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon series The Prayer That God Answers: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

Do you have someone in your life who only reaches out when they want something? That kind of one-sided relationship feels transactional—and it’s a powerful mirror for how many believers approach God.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef challenges us to move beyond “laundry-list” praying—requests without worship, needs without thanksgiving, future-focused anxiety without remembering God’s past faithfulness. When we forget what God has already done, our prayers weaken because forgetfulness reveals ingratitude—and we begin taking credit for victories only God could have accomplished.

Dr. Youssef points to a pattern throughout Scripture: God repeatedly calls His people to remember—sometimes by setting up visible memorials of His provision. These “Ebenezer stones” (“stone of help”) become spiritual markers that spark renewal, revive gratitude, and draw us back into abiding fellowship with Christ. They remind us where our help truly comes from—and they re-center our hearts on God’s glory, not just our requests.

As you listen, ask yourself: What memorial is God calling you to set up today so you’ll stay focused on Him, abide in His presence, and learn to pray without ceasing?

Prayer: Father, forgive me for forgetting to take the time to praise and adore You. You have been so faithful to me. Thank You for loving me and saving me. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds” (Psalm 77:11-12).

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon What Is Your Ebenezer?: WATCH NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

Have you noticed how quickly disappointment follows when expectations are placed on the wrong things—people, circumstances, plans, even your own strength? In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds us that only God’s promises can carry the full weight of our expectations.

Dr. Youssef takes us to Luke 2:25–35, where we meet Simeon—an ordinary man with extraordinary hope. Simeon had spent his life waiting for the Messiah, trusting God’s Word that he would personally see the Christ. After years of watching and waiting, Simeon finally held the infant Jesus in his arms and prayed with calm certainty: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised… you may now dismiss your servant in peace” (Luke 2:29–32). Simeon wasn’t shocked that God came through—he expected it, because his hope was rooted in the faithfulness of God.

This devotional will help you contrast Simeon’s steady confidence with the shaky expectations we often place on this world—and call you to re-anchor your heart in what never fails. God’s timing may stretch longer than you’d like and His methods may surprise you, but He will always fulfill His promises.

Prayer: God, help me to place my expectations in You, not in this world. I know that You will never disappoint me. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:11).

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon Unrealistic Expectations, Hope That Will Not Disappoint: WATCH NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

Why do we pray—really? In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds us that the ultimate purpose of prayer is not self-fulfillment but the glory of God. Jesus Himself said He answers prayer “so that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). And even when God meets our needs, the goal remains the same: His Name honored and His goodness displayed.

Dr. Youssef also tackles two common extremes believers fall into:

Scripture, he explains, teaches a better way: God is fully sovereign, and yet within His sovereignty He truly responds when His people pray with the right focus. That’s why we must avoid two unhealthy attitudes—being afraid to ask God for anything, or treating Him like a “bellhop” who exists to serve our agenda.

Instead, Dr. Youssef points to our identity as God’s children: we can ask boldly, but we trust the Father to give what is best—just as good parents do (Matthew 7:11). Mature prayer sounds like Jesus: “Not my will, but Yours be done.” If you want your prayer life to deepen, this episode will help you realign your requests with God’s glory and grow in faith-filled dependence.

Prayer: Father, thank You that You want to hear from Your children and that You glorify Yourself as You meet our needs. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon Psalm 121: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

Imagine being there as a young Mary—likely no older than fourteen—walked into the hills of Judea to embrace her cousin Elizabeth. In that moment, Mary’s heart overflowed with the Magnificat, a prayer that would echo through generations as a testimony of God’s faithfulness.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef highlights why Mary’s prayer matters so deeply for your everyday faith. Mary’s circumstances were bewildering and weighty, yet she faced them with steady confidence because her life had been shaped by a deep relationship with God and a lifetime of immersion in His Word. Her praise flowed from gratitude: God had chosen her to bear the long-promised Messiah—the Savior of the world.

Dr. Youssef also points to the remarkable balance in Mary’s Magnificat: authentic, biblical self-esteem that is neither prideful nor insecure—confidence without arrogance, humility without shame. Mary’s life wasn’t warped by materialism, possessions, or peer pressure; it was anchored in God’s promises. And through her prayer, Mary declares what every believer must learn to trust: God always keeps His promises.

This devotional invites you to ask yourself: Will you magnify God in every circumstance—especially the ones you don’t understand? That posture is the essence of Mary’s prayer and a key to power in prayer today.

Prayer: Lord, You are the matchless, sovereign God. You alone are worthy of my praise. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. 

Scripture Focus: “From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name” (Luke 1:48-49).

*This devotional adapted from Life-Changing Prayers by Michael Youssef © 2018. Published by Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI. Used by permission.

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon Life-Changing Prayers, Part 7: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

Habakkuk ministered in a tense moment in Israel’s history—when Babylon was rising and judgment was approaching—yet the heart of his book is deeply personal: moving from impatience and confusion to steadfast trust in God’s timing.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef walks through Habakkuk’s prayer in chapter 3 and points to three features that can reshape your own prayer life when answers feel delayed:

Where many sink into anger, depression, or prayerlessness when heaven feels quiet, Habakkuk turns delay into discipleship—asking, in effect, “Lord, what are You teaching me? How can I trust You more?” This devotional will help you pray through waiting seasons with faith, perspective, and joy that isn’t dependent on circumstances.

Prayer: Father, may I set my heart on You, the God of grace, wisdom, and sovereign power. I believe Your promises and will wait on You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. 

Scripture Focus: “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:17-18). 

*This devotional adapted from Life-Changing Prayers by Michael Youssef © 2018. Published by Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI. Used by permission.

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon Life-Changing Prayers, Part 4: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

Jonah didn’t run toward God’s calling—he ran the other way. Sent to Nineveh, he fled to Joppa, boarded a ship for Tarshish, and ended up in the last place he expected: the belly of a great fish. Yet in that dark, desperate place, Jonah did one thing right—he prayed with everything he had.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef invites you into Jonah 2:1–6, a prayer for anyone who feels trapped by a storm—whether that storm was caused by disobedience or came through no fault of your own. Dr. Youssef highlights a crucial detail: Jonah didn’t improvise empty words—he prayed the Scriptures back to God, echoing God’s promises (especially from the Psalms) when he didn’t know how, when, or even if deliverance would come.

This devotional will encourage you to:

Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your steadfast love and forgiveness. Because of Your grace and mercy, I can face any storm, for I know You are with me. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. 

Scripture Focus: “To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit” (Jonah 2:6). 

*This devotional adapted from Life-Changing Prayers by Michael Youssef © 2018. Published by Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI. Used by permission.

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon Biblical Compassion, Part 3: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate