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.
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
By Daeyna Otieno Not long ago, my life was a whirlwind of activities. I was juggling a new job, family, and church commitments. There were never enough hours in a day. One evening, I was rushing to prepare dinner when my husband tapped me on the shoulder, smiled, and hugged
Over the past year, every worldly source of security and stability has seemingly vanished. Thankfully, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Heb 13:8)! Our position in Christ gives us strength to endure the trials and tribulations of this world. In Him, we will not be shaken,
By Kyleigh Dunn When was the last time we thought of our smartphones as a catalyst for spiritual growth? Usually, we view our phones as a threat to our spiritual lives. We’ve been told our phones will rob our souls of vitality and drain our affection for the things above.
By Gina Castell On Thanksgiving Eve, our holiday plans were canceled. No big deal, I thought, we’ll just stay home and order in. While researching caterers for Thanksgiving dinner, my husband and I heard a loud bang. I thought a plane had landed on our roof. Panic arose in my
By Rebekah R. Nash My child woke me up in the middle of the night again. Dishes, laundry, and cleaning are piling up. I still haven’t eaten breakfast. I don’t know how to survive today, let alone get my quiet time in! Has this ever been you? It’s certainly been
Article By: Sarah Koontz Registration is now open for our JoyFULL Bible Study! Our free JoyFULL Bible Study will take you on a three-week journey through Philippians—the most joy-filled book in the Bible. If you are struggling to find joy in this season, we invite you to join us for this
By Julia Sexil Prior to the last boarding call for a flight back to Florida, I heard my name announced over the loudspeaker to see the clerk at the front desk. Bewildered, I stood up to stretch one last time. I wiped away any evidence of sleep from my eyes,
By Jill Miller Reading this article means you’ve already tapped into the spiritual side of technology and have tasted its sweetness. But how did you get here? Were you intentionally searching for edifying spiritual content or mindlessly scrolling and the graphic caught your attention? Technology is like fire. Fire can
One of our primary goals is to help God’s people understand God’s character and apply God’s revelation to their lives. God is Creator; we are His creation. As such, we exist for His glory and good pleasure. He is the only One with the authority to label us and
By Jana Carlson When my oldest daughter was engaged, I set aside my normal routine and dove into wedding planning. The joyous celebration of this matrimony deserved the best I had to give. My days quickly filled with attending wedding dress fittings, hosting guests, offering a shoulder to cry on
By Jenny Marcelene One in four adults who regularly attend church often mix attending online with in-person attendance. Twenty-three percent of churchgoers bounce from church to church—and Millienials (ages 25–40) rank highest in this church-jumping habit. While this may seem like a modern take on church membership, this could reveal
By Jennifer Jabbour When God gives us a vision, it’s exhilarating (and sometimes scary!), but we long to please our Father. We desire to hear those coveted words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant” (Mt 5:21). But what do we do when we’re met with resistance? When life happens
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries Recently, I resolved to curb my nasty habit of offering unsolicited advice. Unfortunately, I’ve got decades of experience giving unwanted advice, so it wasn’t easy to wean myself off. If you have a problem, I have a solution. It’s how
By Kelley Spencer The loud footsteps of my 7-year-old echoed down the hallway. Exhausted, I tried to force myself out of bed to start the day. I noticed a familiar uneasiness in my gut, angst in my soul, and a gloomy cloud hanging over my mood. I felt off in
By Bethany Broderick I sat alert at my desk in the front of Mrs. Hinton’s Bible class. She stood before 20 distracted (and slightly smelly) middle schoolers and pointed to a map of ancient Israel on the board. “Take out your colored pencils and shade the different lots for each
By Susan L Davis My life was a symphony of complaints. The job, kids, home, dog, and husband—nothing escaped my grumbling. Waiting in line? Cue the internal monologue of grievances. Behind polite smiles, my mind spun a web of negativity. Then, in an unexpected turn of events, I found Jesus.
What if there was a way for you to have an eternal impact without changing out of your pajamas or putting on makeup? Would you be interested? If so, grab a cup of coffee (or tea) and let’s chat for a while. I’m still in my pj’s too. So don’t
By Danny Barnhill I leaned over a wooden picnic table shaded by an old Elm tree and layered peanut butter and jelly onto slices of bread. Laughter from our group 50 feet away told me they were more interested in the creek than the sandwiches. A scream filled the air.
My body craves rest and often demands it. This used to frustrate me to no end. It made me feel weak, less-than, incapable, and a burden to others. I used to push through all the signs of fatigue, striving to be the person I thought everyone needed me to be.
Why did God rest on the seventh day? I mean, really?!? He’s God—the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth—surely He doesn’t need to rest? Yet, Genesis 2:2 tells us, “By the seventh day God completed His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His
By Margaret Kemp Statistics show a decline in church attendance in the U.S.A. Perhaps you’ve wondered if a believer even needs to be a part of a local church. As some Christians point out, we can worship God anywhere. Others remind us we can watch our favorite preacher online. And sadly, some people
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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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