The Living by Design Blog
The Bible is packed with the spiritual nourishment your soul craves. Our aim is to provide resources to help you break it down into bite-sized pieces that are easy to digest. Articles on the Living by Design Blog are packed with heart-focused content, practical solutions for real life, and Bible-based training. Since launching this blog in 2014, we’ve featured more than 100 guest contributors. If you’d like to submit an article for consideration, please review our submission guidelines.
By Jen Ludwig Advent (from the Latin word adventus) means “coming” or “arrival” and is traditionally a time of preparation. During these weeks before December 25th, we are getting ready for the arrival of our Savior. We wait expectantly for the coming of the King through the eyes of the
By Rachel Greening It was a practice I said I would never employ as I caressed my bulging belly, feeling my first baby’s tiny limbs flutter inside me. But when in the wilds of raising a toddler, it came out by default. “I’m counting to three!” I tell my 20-month-old
Are you looking for a simple way to invite Christ into your Christmas? We have created a FREE Advent Reading Plan that takes just 15-minutes per day, 5-days per week to complete. As you walk through this 4-week plan, you will be invited to slow down, remember, anticipate, and rejoice
By Susan Cort Johnson Do you frequently use the word “blessed”? I consider myself blessed when I find a parking place in a crowded lot, have a warm fire on a cold, winter night, or wake up to the smell of coffee in the morning. We can list a multitude
By Cheryl Esper Balcom I flipped another page of my Bible, the thin paper crinkling. I frowned in concentration. I thought this would be simple. Surely, I could find examples of people giving thanks in the Bible. To my surprise, I wasn’t finding many. Locating ‘Thank You’ When we read
By Colleen C. Howard Some days, my mind feels like a whirlwind, life unravels around me, and clarity’s nowhere in sight. I’m in motion, but going nowhere. Consumed by the chaos and heat of my circumstances. In these moments, I struggle to connect with God. But prayer can extinguish the
Women around the world are craving God’s Word and we are intent on creating free resources and tools to satisfy your spiritual appetite. Most of our readers would agree that we could all benefit from carving out a bit more time and space for Jesus Christ in our hearts and
By Katherine Grote My four amazing children are my sun, moon, heart, and every other sappy thing people say. The oldest is 20-I-know-everything-about-life-can-you-put-some-money-in-my-account years old, two are teenagers, and the youngest is 11 going on 35. My kids are also the cause of the tic under my left eye and
By Amber Ginter Anxiety is a natural, human emotion. It can arise uninvited and be triggered by life’s circumstances—the good, the bad, or the ugly. When anxiety takes over our lives, we may struggle to separate the feeling from the truth. Even as Christians, this fight can seem never-ending. Being
By Joanna Eccles I’m in a difficult season with lots of changes and unknowns. I don’t like it—at all. My job ends soon, and I feel God calling me to move out of state. But I haven’t secured a new job yet. I love my current city, and I’m surrounded
By Sarah McClelland Whack! A plastic block launched from my toddler’s hand strikes me square between the eyes. I recoil at the sting. Whap! Another block strikes my chin. The rebellious streak went too far. Tears fill my eyes. I heave my pregnant body off the couch. Snatching the blocks
Saint Augustine described Paul’s conversion as “the violent capture of a rebel will.” Before God could use Paul for His purposes, He had to humble and reshape the man into His image. When Jesus Christ showed up in Paul’s life and called Him to a new way of living, Paul
By Nicole O’Meara What did you eat for lunch last Wednesday? If you can’t remember, you’re in good company. I can’t remember either (unless I’m keeping a food journal). Remembering mundane details like what we ate for lunch probably doesn’t matter in the long run. But we forget more important
By Margaret Kemp On a family trip along the Appalachian Trail to Catawba Mountain, we passed a sign that read, “Catawba Hospital.” That sign prompted my sons’ grandfather to tell a story about his father. In the early 1900s, Great-grandpa was a patient at Catawba Hospital. Located near mineral springs,
By Lynda Kelly “Should we take grandma an umbrella?” my daughter asked. A crack of thunder split the sky. Within seconds, rain poured down—the kind of desert storm that turns streets into rivers. I hesitated. It was late. The logical part of me offered every excuse to stay dry and
By Mary Spencer Veazey “I’m pregnant! Again!” one of my best friends exclaims to me after arriving at my house. My heart sinks and leaps for joy simultaneously. Can both things be true at the same time? At that moment, I realize they can. I’m filled with happiness for my
By Jeri Stunkard I was born a certified, people-pleasing perfectionist and crumbled at the slightest mistake. My young, delicate heart felt everything deeply and viewed errors as shameful. In third grade, I forgot to do my homework. The teacher reprimanded me in front of the whole class, and I beat
Luke 6:45 says, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.“ Out of the good treasure of the
By Maureen Miller I scan my yard. Drat! Too many weeds! Bending, I take hold and yank. But rather than pulling out a single strand of green, the tug reveals more than I could see. The plant didn’t break away from its roots. Instead, the intricate underground system comes up
By Dr. Billy Ready, Jr. The froth-formed heart in my latte had long since dissolved as I absently stirred the cooling drink. Across the worn wooden table of the coffee shop, my friend shared the raw details of his wife’s unfaithfulness. His voice cracked with emotion. The gentle buzz of
By Stacy Jenkins I couldn’t help but notice her. At the neighboring checkout kiosk, a young mom struggles to scan all her items and manage her two rambunctious kids. I’m alone at the store (which is rare), but I recognize the look of frustration and overwhelm on her face. I’ve
By Bethany Broderick “Who drew on the wall?” I yell from our dining room as I stand before a sketch made with colorful markers. My 5-year-old daughter slides into the room behind me and shrugs her shoulders. “I don’t know,” she replies. “But they signed their name.” I notice the
By Felicia Harris-Russell Imagine a platoon of soldiers going off to war. As they march toward the battle, they’re ambushed by an experienced enemy. The enemy pulls out the sharpest swords and attacks the soldiers. The soldiers pull out their swords, but the blades are dull. We know how this
By Amber Ginter Have you ever been so caught up in life’s bumps and roadblocks that you forget to trust God? Have you ever felt like the Israelites wandering in the wilderness? We can lose sight of God’s goodness as we navigate life’s detours. We can question choices, feel isolated,
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