Category: Self Improvement
-
Same Team: The Gift of the Church Body
Devotional Originally appeared on Proverb’s 31 Encouragement for Today “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27 (NIV) “Same team! The SAME team,” I yelled with hands cupped around my mouth, willing my voice to reach the ears of the peewee players on…
-
5 Tips for a Calm Calendar
Every year I look forward to the blank boxes of an obligation-free calendar. The new year greets me with time slots itching to be filled, appointments, activities, and social engagements begging to consume the pages. Until March 2020, like the rest of the world, my curated calendar with its perfectly laid plans, color-coded chaos, and…
-
How to Slow Down Your Soul When Your Week is Non-Stop
One unexpected “benefit” of the global pandemic became undeniable: life slowed down. Cleared calendars led to family dinners around the table, tackling that home improvement project, rest, and relaxation without the FOMO (fear of missing out). While I readily acknowledge working from home, homeschooling, and a health crisis provided unique challenges and stresses, many still…
-
4 Things God Reveals When We Pray for New Eyes
“Wow, l can read that sign! When did we get that new restaurant? Woah, I can see that person walking across the street!” A trip to the optometrist confirmed that I had needed major vision correction, so after wearing my new glasses for the first time, a whole new world seemed to suddenly appear right…
-
3 Reasons Children Need to See Their Parents Wrestle with Their Faith
I’ve never been one to shy away from difficult conversations, believing that hard truths and awkward situations should be addressed swiftly and directly by using logic and facts. And then, I became a parent. Children ask tough questions—questions that need solid answers. In our family, our daughters’ inquiries often revolve around the subject of faith.…
-
5 Things the Bible Says About God’s Punishment
Nestled in fiery colored flames, the bold, uppercase words on the highway’s billboard, “TURN BEFORE YOU BURN,” caught my attention. I understood the intent—to provoke an intense sense of urgency to accept Christ or spend eternity in Hell. Although the message was sincere, the approach didn’t sit well with me. Shouldn’t God’s love, not His…
-
You May Need to Give Up More Than Just Sin to Follow Jesus
I gazed at my phone’s blank, black screen. Did I just quit my job to stay at home full-time with my children and write a book? Discounting that I had never even posted a blog, until that moment, my career in sales had been my identity. For some time, the Lord had been calling me to leave…
-
Are You Living Off Borrowed Faith?
I sensed something weighing on my friend’s mind as we sat talking for nearly two hours, our coffee running out long before our conversation. “I feel like I’m living off of borrowed faith,” she confessed. Intently gazing into the empty cup before her, she anxiously waited for me to respond. “Yes. I know what you…
-
Does Your Heart Need a Digital Detox?
My hand hovered over the social media apps on my phone. The Holy Spirit had undeniably convicted me—those little square icons were distracting me from the work God had called me to do in a big way.
-
Does what I am doing even matter?
“Laura and I discuss her new book Beyond The Noise. We talk about those moments where we question and doubt ourselves, our purpose, and if we and who we are really matter.” I enjoyed talking with Amy Debrucque, Life on Purpose Podcast, what a treat! Listen in Here.
Laura R Bailey 