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 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,
By Charis Massaquoi As we walk with the Lord, we inevitably encounter difficulty, disappointment, and anxiety. At times, what we experience may not inspire passion or stir our hearts toward God. Our expectations may go unmet, and in our disappointment, we may feel frustrated with God. The spiritual vitality we
By Margaret Kemp I am a “stuffer.” When I clean the house, I tend to stuff things in drawers and closets. Out of sight, out of mind. But stuff accumulates. Recently, I decided to clean out the file drawer in my desk. I had only a fuzzy notion of what
By Stephanie Wilsey Many of us know whether the resolutions we set in January will continue into 2025 or not by now. Rather than becoming frustrated with ourselves, we can reset during the spring season—which can be a time for refreshment and renewal. Spring has always been my favorite time
By El Godanovska Joseph Hard, unexpected changes can rock us to the core and even threaten our faith. We may encounter many challenging seasons in life—like moving to a new city, changing careers, or losing a loved one—and not know the next step. When I lost my mom in 2021
By Stacy Jenkins It’s crazy how much I thought I knew about parenting before I got into the game. I laugh now about all the things I said I’d never do. But a few topics hit too close to home to be funny. One of those is how easily I
By Regina D’Carr I nervously scanned my work emails to see if my employer responded to my written refusal to do something biblically unprincipled. Not seeing an email reply, I breathed a relieved sigh. My mind swirled with an unrelenting question: Will I be terminated for refusing my employer’s repeated
By Karen Abeyta Many women own a mug, t-shirt, or sticker adorned with Psalm 46:5 NIV in pastel print: “God is within her, she will not fall.” This verse sounds encouraging and speaks directly to women. Or does it? When I first read the Bible, I clung to any Scripture
2024 Annual Impact Report Download the Printable Report By Sarah Koontz All of my life, I’ve been a giver. I enjoy being the one who has an abundance to share and little need to receive from others. But now, by the grace of God, I find myself in the position
By Hadassah Treu Loss is painful. Often, we face a cumulation of losses in a certain season of our lives. When this happens, we grieve. Grief occupies a lot of mental and emotional space. It stirs up anger, anxiety, fear, and loneliness—and makes experiencing joy difficult. Not only does our
By Felicia Harris-Russell Does working from your heart come naturally to you, or are half-hearted efforts a continual struggle? I’ve answered yes to both questions at some point in my life. However, as my relationship with the Lord deepened, so did my work ethic. My mindset and approach to life
By Amber Ginter It was 4:38 a.m. on a Tuesday in February. My brother passed away from an overdose the day before Valentine’s Day. Losing a loved one is one of life’s most painful experiences. No matter how much we prepare, grief is inevitable, and the aftermath comes in waves.
By Jill Miller Anyone who works in an office with an Information Technology (IT) staff learns one thing fast: Before you call the helpline with a problem, shut down your computer, restart it, and try again. It’s surprising how many times this works. I can’t begin to comprehend the inner
By Julia Sexil Nightfall would set in soon, and my mountain hiking adventure was far from complete. I needed another two hours to reach my destination on the other side of the lake. The more darkness crept in, the more my imagination gripped me. The trail had once appeared straight
By Anna Moore Ask the most mature person of faith you know about their prayer life, and they likely have something they want to improve about it. Prayer is an essential spiritual discipline of the Christian faith. We have the privilege to make our praises and petitions known to the
By Grace Thomas Does your family struggle with developing spiritual routines? My family has, especially as we navigate life with a newborn and toddler. Just like regular rhythms can help us, spiritual routines can provide a lifeline in busy times, anchor us, and streamline our days. So, how can we
Article By: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries I have truly enjoyed my seminary studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. Because of my busy ministry schedule and the fact that we homeschool our children, I typically enroll in just one online class at a time. In my first year
Article by: Sarah Koontz On December 3, 2024 our ministry is participating in #GivingTuesday. Giving Tuesday is a day dedicated to generosity and giving. It occurs the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. It’s a day to acknowledge the power of giving, volunteerism, and simple acts of kindness.
Did you know that nearly one-third of annual charitable giving occurs in the final weeks of the year? Last year our nonprofit ministry raised 50% of our funds during the month of December. This is why the last quarter of the year is known as the ‘Giving Season‘ by nonprofit
Article by: Sarah Koontz Today marks the beginning of our Fall Fundraiser. This is a time for our ministry team to reflect on and rejoice over the good gifts God has given us this past year. It is also a time for us to share our vision for the future
I have a confession to make. I can’t sing. I mean, of course, I can sing. I just can’t sing very well. When I volunteered to help with Vacation Bible School at our church, they asked me if I’d be willing to help lead worship one night (because the talented
Article by: Lisa Kimrey I know the songs say the holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s the most exhausting time of the year for me. Don’t get me wrong. I truly embrace the holiday season! I love the colors and decorations, the smells, the food,
By Joanna Eccles Years ago, a close family member got sick, and we didn’t know if he would survive. He went to countless hospitals and kept getting worse. I lived far away and felt helpless. I flew six times over six months to help, but it never seemed like it
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At Living by Design Ministries, we believe God’s Word is the only source of absolute truth in a world that praises tolerance and ambiguity. That is why we strive to deliver biblically accurate, relatable, story-driven content to our readers each week.
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