Devotionals
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Are you terrible at reading the Bible?
[Guest Post by Ruth Cataldo – Every once in a while I post on social media that I’m looking for new guest posters for Devotional Diva. When Ruth asked if she could share on this topic I couldn’t wait for her to share! So many of us, including myself, can be terrible at reading the Bible at times. Let’s be open and honest and help keep each other accountable, okay?] I am terrible at reading the Bible — there I said it! I want to spend time with Jesus, I want to learn from Him, I want to be more like Him and I want that desire to come naturally,…
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When Your World Comes Crashing Down
[Guest Post by Rochelle Frazier – I met her through the Top 10 Blogs for Christian Women post I compiled. She was nominated for the list, and when I looked at her blog–I knew I had to have her share! For anyone who has seen their picture perfect like come crashing down, this is for you today. Be encouraged! You are not alone.] Is it possible to arrive at the place where you stop asking, “Is there more? Should I be more?” Is it possible that your restless heart could actually find rest right where you are? Satisfied? I dare to say “Yes!” I don’t have the story of overcoming an…
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Having a DTR with God
[Guest Post by Jaimie Bowman – I always love it when a fellow blogger becomes a fellow author. She just self published a devotional for mom’s and I can’t wait for her to share one with you! BTW, check out her post she wrote for her own site about her publishing process and how to get the book inside you OUT!] In high school I had a best friend who was a guy, and at some point our relationship began to take a turn. I still remember the bench that we sat on when we had the infamous “D.T.R”- a Defining the Relationship talk. It was there that we both,…
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Learning to Pray Together
[Guest Post by Shannon Kim – I love that the last time she wrote for Devotional Diva she was single and talking about about when dreams change. Please welcome her back on the topic of prayer.] Before our wedding a short time ago, my husband and I knew the importance of praying together as a married couple. However, I wasn’t incredibly aware of how intentional we would need to be to make time for it. I thought it would be easy to make time in the morning before Joe left for work, before bed or even to stop and pray during a conflict…my expectations were not met for a few…
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Are You a Bored Christian?
[Guest Post by Y. Lola Mitchell – I met this beauty online when she asked if she could guest post for Devotional Diva. I always love meeting new people who have a heart to encourage others. Please welcome Lola!] Not too long ago I came across this devotional that I wrote to myself when I was feeling really stagnant in my relationship with Christ. Church had become boring, and I really needed a change. I lamented to my husband about my feelings and decided to get real with myself and really evaluate the problem by writing it down. And this is what came out… I recently had a thought about my…
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My Life Plan vs God's Life Plan
[Guest Post by Rachel Berry – I met her at the San Diego Christian Writers Fall Conference a few years ago, and it’s been so exciting to watch her take off as a writer and woman of God. If you, like Rachel, have ever experienced the death of a dream — be encouraged today by her story!] I drove home from church on Sunday, a beautifully normal January Sunday, and my sister said, “Rachel–a year ago today you would’ve been competing for Miss America.” I imagine the look on my face involved squinted, pensive eyes and a smirk of disbelief (the kind siblings give one another) as I questioned her statement. Had…
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When You Harbor Bitterness
[Guest Post by Lindsey Meeker – It’s kind of amazing how much bitterness can hinder us from God’s best — even about something as simple as going to the dentist. I hope her story encourages you to let go!] I’ve always thought that to have a real testimony you had to have been set free from alcohol or gone to jail. But. This last year I’ve learned that doesn’t mean anything. A month before I started my freshman year of high school, I visited my local orthodontist to see about getting braces. I wasn’t looking forward to it at all. I went through all of the moldings and x-rays and the…
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Your Pain has a Purpose
[Guest Post by Kate Motaung – We both write for iBelieve.com and it’s always nice to share a fellow writer’s story, especially when they write about one of my favorite Bible verses–Romans 8:28. Be encouraged my friends!] I have a limited threshold for listening to the news. My stomach churns and I swallow hard as I hear story after story of brokenness. Like shards of glass pieced together, the resulting mosaic has very few smooth edges. Shards of large scale calamities. Tsunamis swallowing entire villages. Hurricanes ripping through hearts and homes. Government corruption. Human trafficking. Missile attacks. Economic instability. School shootings. All stemming from the same source — a bite…
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Does it Hurt to Hope?
[Guest Post by Kelli McIntosh – When she asked to share about her son Kyle with special needs and why she’s not losing hope, I realized that I haven’t had anyone else share about that topic yet. If you struggle with being a mom or feel like losing hope–you are not alone!] With the intention of taking my mind off of everything, I settled on the couch for a few minutes to read my current novel. But as soon as I read what one of the characters in my book was thinking, I found myself lost in thought about Kyle. I realized that the book was not going to take my…
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Walking the Plank
Transition throws me for a loop every time – silly, of course. We all know that the only constant in life is change. But somehow my longing for comfort and control gets me to settle into a place with a deep, satisfying sigh. Close my eyes. Take a break from watchfulness. Then everything tips and I find myself rolling sideways, stumbling down a new ramp of transition. Looking for a new normal. Some transitions are instantaneous. In 2003 my husband collapsed on his favorite street in San Diego, Shelter Island Drive, just outside the bank. From that moment on, he never drove his truck, never wrote a check, dialed a…
