• Faith

    Wait on the Lord

    [Guest post by Samantha Godette: When I received this post from Samantha, it was something I really needed to hear at the time. I love how the Lord can provide inspiration like this at just the right moment! If you’re waiting and wanting for something, this is for you.] Over the past few years I have been fighting, fighting and fighting for something I thought should be mine (something monetary). I knew I deserved it but couldn’t figure out why God didn’t see fit for me to have it. I was seriously hurt while serving in the United States army and I have developed severe rheumatoid arthritis. Some days it…

  • Faith

    Make it Count

    [Guest post by Bronwyn Lea: In your prayers,  remember Bronwyn’s words: make it count.]       I got that lead-balloon feeling on Sunday when our pastor pointed out all the things Paul didn’t pray for in his letters: people with cancer, busy schedules, promotions at work, successful ventures, hard pressed finances, strained relationships…. Not that those things don’t matter, or that we shouldn’t pray for them, or that God doesn’t care about the minutiae of our lives, but they weren’t on the apostles regular prayer card. It raised the old question for me again: why do I always find my prayer list filled with immediate needs, when I know that matters like…

  • Devotionals

    Living Waters: Freedom Begins

    [Guest post by Susan Deborahs: When I became the editor of Devotional Diva, one of the big changes I made was regarding submissions. I wanted women to be able to share their stories in forms other than written posts, and this is the first video submission! (As a reminder, I am also making my own video devotionals on YouTube!) I hope that you enjoy this format and are encouraged by Susan’s story of finding Christ.]   Susan Deborahs is a young and vibrant author (Living Waters) from London and serves at Expressions Of Worship church. She regularly blogs and shares her life experiences and lessons with the hope to empower, inspire and motivate…

  • Devotionals,  Faith

    A Jonah Story

      [Guest post by Onome. I love the way Onome looks at life’s situations and relates them back to the Lord. If you’ve ever felt like you’re in the belly of a giant fish, this is for you.]   I was reading my five-year-old’s Bible one day when I ran into the Jonah story. Reading it through the eyes of a child gave me a better perspective. I was hit by the realization that Jonah was actually in the belly of a fish when he prayed and God heard him. I went back to read the passage from my Bible. In Jonah 1:17, the Bible recorded that God had prepared…

  • Devotionals,  Health & Body

    You Can Have a Peaceful Pregnancy

    [Guest post by Sarah Coleman: Sarah was the first woman to reach out to me to submit a guest post when I became editor. I loved her writing and I could feel her kind and generous spirit through the computer screens that connected us. For those of you on the path of motherhood, be encouraged.] John 14:27 I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. I was fairly optimistic when it came to pregnancy. I mean, teenage girls don’t have a problem with it. Why would I? Of course…

  • Faith

    Christians and Exclusivity

    To preface: this post has more bite than usual because it’s a topic I’m very passionate about: exclusivity. Today is a special edition of Devotional Diva! This hiatus isn’t turning out to be much of a hiatus, is it? And we normally don’t even have posts on Mondays! Well, I just had to get this up today because this topic has been burning in my heart – and also because it coincides nicely with the publishing of my guest post on a pretty sweet blog called The Laundry Moms.    First of all, the post on TLM means a lot to me because it’s sort of a tribute to my…

  • Devotionals

    I'm Moving On From A Painful Past

    I have spent this summer introducing you to myself. Guest posting will return on September 2nd, but after today Devotional Diva is going on a short hiatus. I still have a lot of ideas for post topics, but last week I asked my husband what he thought I should write for my final post. Without asking for any of my ideas, he just replied, “You should write more about your life now.” He’s completely right. I’ve written quite a lot about my past this summer. It makes sense, because all of us draw on our past for hints on how to handle our futures. I’ve written about my physical assault at…

  • Faith

    How I Became a Christian

    This is the story of how I became a Christian. But first, it’s important to look at my parents’ faith background. My mom was raised Catholic and always had some issues with it. After she became an adult, she looked for another Christian church. She actually ran into a really weird, disillusioning church sect in the process. Nothing ever felt right, and she eventually stopped looking. But she was always a Christian. My dad has really always been a man of God, too. He’s just never been that into actually going to church. Since my mom didn’t like being raised in a faith she didn’t agree with, she and my…

  • On Writing

    When Christians Are Hurt: Share Your Story!

    I have been hurt. You have been hurt. We’ve all been hurt. But how do you respond to hurt in a Christian way? If you identify as a Christian, you believe in the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus. One of the verses I always associate with Jesus is this one: Matthew 5:38-40  “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.  If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken…

  • Faith,  Relationships

    Resolved to Surrender

    [Guest Post by Andrea Portilla – Why is it that we try to work harder, give and serve more when all we need to do is simply surrender? I appreciate Andrea’s post, and I hope you will too!] At the beginning of the New Year I had made a resolution: I was going to take a bubble bath once a week! A perfect kind of resolution! The first few weeks into the year I was beside myself, for I came to realize God desired so much more from my life than I had been giving Him. In the midst of motherhood and babies; being a loving wife and intentional mother, I…