Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries “Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.Leave to thy God to order and provide;In every change, He faithful will remain.” My weary soul longs for this elusive stillness, nourishment, provision. How, Lord?How can I be
Top 7 Reasons to Study Psalm 119 + Free Online Bible Study Read More »
By Sarah Frazer The house was quiet. After taking my kids to school, I returned home. I put my keys on the kitchen counter, hung my purse by the door, and walked to the coffeemaker. My cup was half filled with cold coffee. Do I pour more or just heat this up? I glanced toward
4 Ways to Let Go of Perfectionism in Your Quiet Time Read More »
By Beth Ferguson I once planted tomatoes in the Texas summer heat with more optimism than gardening skill. Every morning, I walked outside to inspect tiny green sprouts. I watered. I bought fertilizer. Huge, ugly insects appeared. Leaves eaten. Fruit disappeared to birds and bugs. Life can sometimes feel this way. We wait, watch, and
When Waiting Makes You Wonder, God Remains Faithful Read More »
By Sarah McClelland I peel back the plastic on a pack of raw chicken. The grayish color and sour smell tell me everything—I’d waited too long to cook it. What a waste! I cringe and toss the family-pack of meat into the trash. I worked hard to stick to the food budget, and now I
Why Your Work Is Never Wasted Read More »
By Shelly Snead My home is where plants come to die—not gracefully, but by total neglect. While I appreciate the beauty and health benefits of flowers and flourishing plants, I lack the knowledge and discipline to keep them alive. Years ago, I purchased a potted tomato plant, determined to become a gardener. I left it
4 Ways to Cultivate Faithfulness Through Rhythms of Grace Read More »
By Sharla Hallett God is good all the time; all the time God is good. I grew up with the first line of that phrase said from the church pulpit, and the congregation responded with the second line. But sometimes we question the goodness of God. How can a good God allow bad things to
How to See the Goodness of God in Tough Times Read More »
By Sarah Koontz In John 10:10, Jesus revealed His purpose in coming to earth. In this passage, He declared, “I have come so that they(you) may have life and have it in abundance.” Jesus came to do a new thing—to introduce a new covenant and bring God’s kingdom to earth. That is why He often
10 Powerful Reasons to Study Christ’s Parables + Free 7-Week Bible Study Read More »
By Lyneta Smith Planting new seeds is exciting, and harvesting the bounty is gratifying. But what about all the in-between work of weeding, watering, fertilizing, and pruning? Gardening can be hard, thankless work with no guarantee of yielding a good return on our labor investment. The same could be said for kingdom work, whether we’re
5 Ways to Stay Motivated When You’re Weary of Doing Good Read More »
By Amy Catlin Wozniak The morning was quiet, coffee within reach, a blanket pulled over my lap, and my worn Bible open. Tears pricked my eyes at the familiar words: “Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” – Luke
6 Expressions of God’s Kindness in the Prodigal Son Parable Read More »
By Jennifer Weichmann Our relocation plan was simple. We’d rent a house for six months, get to know the area, and then we’d buy a home. But my husband and I soon realized our plans wouldn’t come to fruition. We couldn’t get a home loan. I was crushed. Trapped in a rental house in a
Trusting God When He Is Silent Read More »
