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 Celia A.Miller I remember the look on my dad’s face as the doctor came through those swinging doors. We had been waiting for hours in agony and anticipation for some sort of news to put our deepest fears to rest. But when the conversation with the doctor ended with
I’ll never forget the first time I read CS Lewis’ Screwtape Letters. I could not have been more than fourteen or fifteen years old. I was astounded by the creativity and artistic talent of the author, yet disgusted and unimpressed by the demons’ strategies illuminated in the letters. Although Lewis
By Michelle Flaningan Most of us have heard of the wolf in sheep’s clothing. He is cited in Matthew 7 when Jesus warns about false teachers. Right after He tells his disciples to enter through the narrow gate, He says to them, “Beware of false prophets who come to you
By Susan Cort Johnson Although my siblings and I were raised in the same home, we have different ways of approaching life. Despite our differences, there wouldn’t be much strife if interactions were limited to an occasional family gathering or Facetime connections for quick chats. But in this season of
The book of Hebrews establishes the superior person, priesthood, and power of Jesus Christ while encouraging believers to persevere in faith as they endure persecution. The author also repeatedly warns his listeners of the spiritual consequences of neglecting God’s Word. Although the author is unknown, the inspiration and canonicity of
By Margaret Kemp Time is running out. That thought smacked me in the head like a wet snowball. I’d barely finished singing the last chorus of Auld Lang Syne when I sat down to make my New Year’s Resolutions (the ones I’d surely break in a few days). But, like
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 Jennifer Jabbour I have a confession to make. My entire life, I’ve struggled with trying to be perfect. I’ll never forget the time when I was about seven years old. I received a “B” on my report card, and I was devastated that I didn’t get straight “A’s.” Overhearing
By Jenny Marcelene “People from your church seem different from other Americans,” an Afghan refugee said to my husband and me one evening over a decade ago. “Is it because of your faith?” My husband and I exchanged surprised glances. It was like someone lobbing a slow ball as you
Living by Design Ministries is a non-denominational, non-profit Christian ministry that delivers free Bible studies to inboxes worldwide. We exist to help believers of all ages open their Bibles, understand what they are reading, and apply the freeing truths to their lives. Through free online Bible studies, Christ-centered blog articles, faith-building
By Lieren Jamrozik A global pandemic. Countries at war. Mass shootings.Food shortages.Natural disasters. They all raced through my brain in terrifying succession as I lay in sleepless worry. A cold hand of fear gripped my heart, and a thousand different scenarios raced through my head, each one grimmer than the first. I
Over the past few years, I’ve heard many Christians proclaim that the book of Revelation is unfolding before our eyes. They firmly believe that we live in the end times and that the Lord’s return is imminent. Is “this” the mark of the beast?Is “he” the antichrist?Is “that” the fulfillment
By Annie Yorty Do you know any parents who habitually fail to keep their word to their children? They promise a treat or reward and forget to give it. Or they threaten a consequence for poor behavior and never follow through. Sometimes moms and dads abandon their marriage vows and
By Leslie Jones I watched the waves lap the shoreline from my seat on the beach, the glistening Sea of Galilee spread before me. Daydreaming about being on a boat with Jesus, I thanked God for this trip of a lifetime, a 10-day tour through the Holy Land with members
By Traci Rhoades Jesus was a master storyteller. To help people understand the things of God, He knew they needed to hear stories they could relate to Common ground stories invite us in and bring a sense of familiarity. In Matthew 13, the disciples asked Jesus why he spoke to
In January of 2019, I started my education at Dallas Seminary. My first class was Bible Exposition 101 with Dr. Mark Bailey, the seminary president (and now chancellor). Of course, I loved the class and was challenged immensely by the lectures and assignments. But the best part was the three
By Jenny Marcelene I once had a clear sense of the calling of God in my life, but one day what I thought had been a lifetime pursuit turned out to be seasonal. Perhaps most startling was I hadn’t realized the trail would end there. Deep down, I couldn’t imagine
By Hannah Jessen Conway When my son was born, I found myself rocking him to sleep, singing a worship song in Spanish that my dad had sung to me. “¿Con qué pagaremos amor tan inmenso? Que diste tu vida por el pecador.” I hadn’t heard the song in years, but the
In this week’s blog, we will dig deep into John’s Epistles. I found this particular section of Scripture to be edifying and convicting. I am confident that you will be blessed and encouraged by the many transformative truths we can learn from John’s letters to the early church. If you
By Susan Cort Johnson One winter day, shut inside my house, I became despondent and battled the urge to cry. But I knew tears were inevitable, and they would soon splash down my cheeks despite my efforts. Isolation didn’t come from snow and ice blocking the driveway, but the possibility
By Katherine Pasour As I drove into my favorite nature trail parking lot, I felt my tension begin to ease before I exited the car. I changed shoes, grabbed my hat, and set off briskly down the trail, savoring the fresh fall air as I lifted my face toward the
In this week’s blog, I will share the topics and themes of Peter’s Epistles. Together, we will establish a foundational understanding of the key concepts in these two epistles. We will also seek to develop an action plan based on the truth woven into these powerful books. My goal is
By Donna Bucher Patiently listening, my heart ached as I heard the familiar refrain. A family member expressing the overwhelming feeling of being “lost.” As a member of a hospice and palliative medicine clinical support personnel team, I receive many calls from the community looking for help or support for
By Michelle Flaningan I’ve always been a working mom, and up until six years ago, I worked in an office setting. I had finally accepted life as a working mom when one of our twin sons was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Many changes needed to take place, including a
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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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