The Good Day

When was the last time you were "scooped up"? Whether in the safe and reassuring arms of someone we love or in a bed full of pillows, being "scooped up" is deeply comforting.

As my friend, Abby McDonald, points out in her reflection of Psalm 142, God's love is ready and waiting to "scoop" us up. Our part is simply to come - to be honest and transparent, to bring our cares and burdens to the one who not only carries them but carries us.

Abby McDonald is a writing coach, speaker, and the author of Surrendering Certainty: Hearing God Today by Letting Go of Tomorrow as well as Shift: Changing Our Focus to See the Presence of God. Her mission is to empower women to hear God’s voice in their lives and act on it in faith. Abby writes regularly for Proverb 31 Ministries’ daily devotions team, and her work has been featured in numerous publications. Abby lives with her husband, three children, and black lab in the mountains of western Maryland. Connect with her at abbymcdonald.org.

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Families tell stories. We gather around the table laugh about the times when so-and-so said that funny and unexpected thing, when another did that brave thing, and when so-and-so scared us senseless but it all worked out in the end.

Indeed, there's a glue which bonds families together and it has no respect for blood relation, for sometimes these families start out as acquaintances then build into friendship, then by God's grace, are forged into brotherhood and sisterhood. No matter how these "families" are formed, the glue which holds us together is story-telling. It's stickiness is determined by the laughter and tears the story holds.

The stories with enduring stickiness keep even those who have passed away close and connected. Their memory and their courage, their faith lives on and shape those who hear their story. One generation learns from another.

Today, a good friend of mine, Samantha Decker, is sharing her reflection of Psalm 135 with us and reminding us of the most important stories we need to tell and retell and then tell again to our children and then teach them to tell to their children and their children's children. May God's ever-lasting faithfulness become the bonding agent of our lives.

Samantha Decker is a wife, mom, Bible teacher, author of "Unhurried", speaker, and above all, a follower of Jesus. She is passionate about encouraging believers to deepen their walk with Jesus through discipleship relationships and an unrelenting love for the Word of God. She and her husband, Dustin, live in Oklahoma and enjoy serving in their local church, trying new restaurants (especially if it’s Tex-Mex), and adventuring with their three rambunctious boys and baby girl. You can connect with her on Instagram or by signing up for her newsletter at samanthadeckerwrites.com.

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What does it mean to fear the Lord? Once we understand this, how do we cultivate fear of the Lord in our hearts so we live in fear of the Lord? Why is this so important?

My friend, Alexandra Jensen, helps us comb through these questions as she shares her reflection of Psalm 128 with us. She points out many of the beautiful promises of God which are given to us as we live surrendered and in fear of the Lord.

Alexandra and her family attend Battlecreek Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She is a leader of her local MomCo. community. Alexandra holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a Minor in Creative Writing and a Master’s degree in Math and Science Education. She is a former Elementary school teacher. Alexandra is a wife, stay-at-home mother of three, blogger, speaker, and antiques dealer. Alexandra enjoys going on dates with her husband, late-night book club meetings, and quilting. You can connect with her at www.alexandrajensen.org or on Instagram or Facebook.

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hen we read God's Word, we're not alone. The Holy Spirit is with us and leading us, making this truth come to life to us in new and exciting ways. The Bible is the only book which reads us as we read it.

I love this reflection of Psalm 121 from my good friend, Amy Lively, as it illustrates this so beautifully.

God led her to read this psalm while resting on a height, and deep insight gushed forth. Insight for her life, but also for ours, because God is cool like that. I hope this reflection is as timely for you as it has been for me.

Amy Lively is an author and speaker who teaches God’s Word as a “how-to” manual for loving him and loving others. Her most recent book, Can I Borrow a Cup of Hope? How to Find Faith for Hard Times in 1 Peter, shows how God transforms pain and suffering into hope and purpose. She is also the author of How to Love Your Neighbor Without Being Weird. Amy is a student at Asbury Theological Seminary, a business owner, community organizer, and active church member and small group leader. She has been married to David for 35 years! They have one grown daughter and divide their time between Colorado and Florida. Visit her online at www.amylively.com. 

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Have you ever been in the water, on a boat or even a boogie board or a tube, and though you started in one spot, you looked up (maybe woke up) and realized you were somewhere else?

Drifting is a reality for our spiritual lives too if we are not intentional to cultivate faithfulness. My friend, Karolyne Roberts is sharing her reflection of Psalm 119 with us today to help us reflect on what our summer is revealing in our hearts and how we can continue walking with God and closer to Him even when routines change.

In her own words, Karolyne Roberts is a bestselling author and speaker who is blazing the trail for change-makers and transformational leaders around the globe. Through her YouTube channel, she impacts and inspires over 438,000 subscribers worldwide. Karolyne and her husband, Kal Roberts, are cofounders of Miss Eternity (misseternity.com). Karolyne’s women’s ministry, Dear Daddy (deardaddy.com), was created for women to embrace their God-given identity as daughters of the King and grow in intimacy with the Father. Karolyne is also the founder and CEO of the Writers Retreat (writersretreat.com), where she helps believers use their voice and writing to make an impact for the kingdom.

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How's that Summer Bucket List going so far? Knocking a few things off? Maybe realizing we were a bit ambitious at the start of Summer, like when we put "go for a hike" on the list. We might be thinking: we meant "go for a walk." Not sure how "hike" got there.

Whether hiking mountains is our "thing" or not, my friend, Lauren Vander Linden is sharing her reflection of Psalm 107 with us to remind us the spiritual ascent is one we all need to make, again and again. As we do, we'll find God's love is steady, gently leading us up one step at a time.

Lauren Vander Linden is passionate about making complex issues simple using God’s word. She is a former worship pastor and current speaker and business leader at a Fortune 250. She and her husband, Travis, call Des Moines, Iowa home, but they also love to travel. On their adventures, you can catch her husband looking at the views and Lauren incessantly looking around to avoid dangerous wildlife. You can find more writings about faith, travel, and lifestyle on her blog or on Instagram or Youtube.

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Dancing invites joy and smiling, and as my friend, Kathy Izard, points out in her reflection of Psalm 100, dancing also invites gratitude. These "holy spirited steps" as she says are welcomed by God.

Kathy Izard is an award-winning author and speaker who has published five inspirational books—three for adults and two for children. You can learn about her books here. Kathy’s work has been featured on NPR and the Today Show inspiring people to be change-makers in their communities. Learn more www.kathyizard.com

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There's no better way to beat the Summer heat than with a splash. But, sometimes we get more than a splash. We get a wave or waves of chaos.

My good friend, Valerie Ellis, is sharing her reflection of Psalm 93 with us today and reminding us of the stark contrast between chaos and Christ and the invitation that awaits us in these inconvenient and overwhelming waters.

Valerie Ellis loves helping kids and parents connect with God and each other in the everyday moments. She is an author, speaker, and founder of Our Everyday Parables, a multi-author online resource with book reviews and ideas for families pursuing faith and compassion. A certified teacher with countless hours in ministry, Valerie writes books that serve kids at the intersection of faith and fun. Her latest book is Wild Faith Devotional for Kids: 52 Amazing Animals That Point to One Great God. Connect with Valerie online at valerieellis.com and oureverydayparables.com or on Instagram at @iamvalerieellis.

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What does it mean to "live by faith"? If you're like me, there have been moments when I think I'm living by faith but later realize I was blinded to see my attempts to strategize, analyze, and "fix" a situation for the lack of trust, lack of faith, it really is. When this "strategizing" is based on my emotions and perspective rather than my trust and dependence on God, I'm not living by faith; I'm living by my own strength.

Relying on our know-how and limited understanding while also trying to be a follower of Christ is a common picture of a divided heart. And, we're not the first to struggle in this way. King David prayed for God to give him an undivided heart in Psalm 86. My friend, Mary Thionnet, too, has known this struggle, specifically as a mother, and she's sharing her reflection to help challenge us to fix our eyes on Jesus rather than trying to fix the situations before us.

Mary Thionnet serves the Pastor of Kids Ministries for Crossings Community Church at the OKC location. She and her husband, Jeff, have four young adult children. Together they enjoy traveling to Washington, hiking, and spending time outside.

Today, we're talking about:

• When there is nothing "lovely" or "right" about the situation before me, I can choose to focus on how God is praiseworthy. Trusting in God’s sovereignty over this situation is how I can live by faith today.
• What do I need to fully release to God today?

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Maybe this Summer, foreign is exactly what you need. But no bags need to be packed. Not a single one. No airline reservations need to be made. You see, praise in times of plenty, that's easy. It's natural. But praise in want, it's never easy. It's unnatural. Foreign may be an even better word. It feels strange, unfamiliar, unsettling.

That's because it is. Praise and rejoicing in things go well is proof of citizenship on earth, meaning everyone is capable of this. Praise and rejoicing, gratitude and proclaiming God's greatness and goodness, when things don't go as well as we hoped or expect - it's proof of citizenship in heaven. Only those filled with the power of the Holy Spirit are equipped to do such an unearthly thing.

Today, Sarah Freymuth is sharing her reflection of Psalm 79 with us and helping us remember to proclaim God's praise, and live as foreigners of this earth, in those times when we feel the rug has slid out from under us.

Sarah Freymuth describes herself as a writer and dreamer who finds God's goodness in the everyday, upside-down, and in-between moments that make this life real, relatable and beautiful. Professionally, Sarah serves as the content and storytelling manager for Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a global sports ministry, where she gets to tell the story of what God is doing around the world through coaches and athletes – guiding them in going deeper in their faith. She also writes for different places, sharing about God's goodness where it isn't easily seen.

You can find her living a simple Midwest life with her husband, visiting Lake Michigan and Washington Island as often as life allows.

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