• Devotionals,  Faith

    Writing to Distract

    [Guest post by Jenee Day: Previously, Jenee wrote for Devotional Diva on the topic of gossip. Today, she shares why she’s writing to distract herself. We’re praying for your family, Jenee!]   I am writing this to distract myself. Waiting is not something I have ever been good at, and today I wait for a phone call that may literally change my families’ lives forever. Bud is just 5 years old now, and he is the light of our lives.  Handsome and silly, sometimes quiet and others completely rambunctious, he is generous with his kisses and with his desserts.  Bud is everything I ever hoped my child would be. And now……

  • Health & Body

    I Must Be Perfect

    [Guest post by Rachel Madden: I think Rachel’s story on perfectionism will really encourage some of you, especially those who struggle with being a “perfect mom.” Remember “I must be perfect” is just a lie!]   Psychology Today quotes, “For perfectionists, life is an endless report card on accomplishments or looks. A one-way ticket to unhappiness, perfectionism is typically accompanied by depression and eating disorders. What makes perfectionism so toxic is that while those in its grip desire success, they are most focused on avoiding failure, so theirs is a negative orientation. And love isn’t a refuge; in fact, it feels way too conditional on performance.” Please tell me this…

  • Devotionals

    Extending God's Gift of Grace

    [Guest post by Carla Gasser: Carla submitted this piece when I was scheduling for this series, and although she didn’t intend to be a part of it, I thought her story of God’s grace was perfect for the series. As God gives grace to us, we should extend it to others!] I had an interesting conversation with one of my sons (whose name I will graciously withhold) at breakfast this morning. I was asking why he was wearing the same khaki shorts for the third day in a row.  He started complaining that he had no clean shorts because “someone” had not washed them.  Excuse me?   I held my breath…

  • Devotionals

    Sink or Swim?

    [Guest post by Sophia Reed: I hope you enjoy this inspiring story that shows no matter what, you can swim.] When I was 23 years old, I found myself in a situation that was going to change my life forever: I was going to be a mom. At 23 I was not doing bad for myself. I had a bachelor’s degree, my own place, and my own car; but I was far from being the ideal mother. My life up until that point consisted of living for myself, and although I considered myself a Christian, I was far from being Christlike, I still had a way to go in my…

  • 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…

  • Faith,  Health & Body

    Shame, Our Souls, and the Gospel

    [Guest Post by Kimberly Davidson Campbell – I have never met a woman who had it all together on the inside. Maybe you do a good job or holding everything together on the outside, but there’s always traces of shame that tries to steal our joy. I appreciate Kim’s words of encouragement today. Like fresh water in a desert oasis of my heart. Receive them today with love!] As I sit in the passenger seat of my husband’s now trip-cluttered (otherwise immaculate) Camry, I am intrigued and overwhelmed by all the areas of shame that plague me.  These areas of shame don’t just plague me — but in some way…

  • Faith

    Life as It Is Meant to Be

    [Guest Post by Hannah Anderson – I met Hannah through my friend Lisa Velthouse, founding editor of PickYourPortion.com. I always appreciating meeting new people through others. It excites me even more when I found out that they are also (shocker) a writer! Please welcome Hannah who writes with grace and glory — while reminding us what life as it is meant to be, looks like!] “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal.”—C. S. Lewis One summer my husband, Nathan, and I drove from Seattle to Los Angeles on Highway 101. We had both been raised in the eastern United States, more at home in…

  • Relationships

    The Parenting Package

    [Guest Post by Marci Seither – I met her at an event I hosted a writers event at my house last year. I am excited for her to share a parenting story with you today!] I handed my daughter a new toothbrush and toothpaste to pack alongside of her bathing suit and flip-flops.  “Do you need more sun screen or the little stick that you can swipe across your nose?” I asked. She continued folding clothes she would need, along with her journal and an assortment of pens. “I think I’m fine,” she said, looking under her bed and retrieving a lost tennis shoe. “Do you have batteries for your…

  • Faith

    Riding Waves of Faith

    [Guest Post by Emily Rose Massey – When she asked if she could share her story, it was hard to narrow it down because this girl has gone through so much! Her testimony is as huge as her heart. I know you will be encouraged by her story. If you currently feel stuck under the waves of life, you are not alone. Stand and have faith with Emily today!] Our faith is tested under waves of faith, and in the weight and pressures of life. It’s in the fire, the trials, and the storms of life that we are truly strengthened. We can choose to rise above the chaos or…

  • Relationships

    I lost more than a marriage

    [Guest Post by Kathy Moore – I have been walking alongside my friend through her separation, and then divorce. It has been especially hard to watch as the gossip train has started, and doesn’t seem to stop. If you are a “Christian” who knows others who have been destroyed by gossip, please forward this to them. If you are one of them — be encouraged by my friend Kathy’s story today.] I am divorced.   Out of obedience to the Lord, I have been silent to share my story — until now. Due to continuing gossip, I have felt the Lord’s prompting to speak truth. Matthew 5:13-14 reminds me as…