• Devotionals,  Family

    Can You Be Happy and Single? – a devotional

    Editor’s Note: This is a guest submission from Jennifer, the Sunflower Mom! Thanks for sending this in, Jen! “Are you happy?” she asked me. A friend I hadn’t seen in a few months asked me this question early one Saturday morning over coffee. She knew some of the depression I’ve been wading through the last few years. “Yes,” I replied, closing the conversation so the discussion could move on to more comfortable topics. Later that evening I thought about that question. Happy is a fleeting emotion. When I look back at my life, I’d only describe one season as truly happy: those first few months of awestruck wonder when my…

  • agnes-amos-god-cares-every-season
    Devotionals,  Faith,  Family,  Relationships

    God Cares For Me In Every Season

    Nothing that happens in your life is impossible for Him to handle (Luke 1: 37). He will do the impossible for you in each of these seasons. He is the God that can convert your pain to gain and cause all things to work together for your good (Romans 8: 28). I had to learn that lesson, and you may need to learn it too. Perhaps, you will discover—like I did—the God who waits to help you in your seasons of singleness, marriage, or divorce.

  • modesty story
    Devotionals,  Faith,  Relationships

    My Modesty Story

      [Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Hannah Anderson. Today Hannah is sharing her personal modesty story — and I commend her for that. Everyone has different modesty standards today; let’s face it, there’s no cut and dry rules. Hannah felt led to share and I love the lesson in her story! Thank you Hannah for being brave!] A twenty-something Christian woman who always always held herself up to Christian standards of purity and modesty (sort of, more on that later) and wore her father’s purity ring he gave her a decade prior with pride. This woman always liked to talk about how above the world and the…

  • Relationships

    A Christian Fairy Tale

    [Guest Post by La Micia Genova: I’m thrilled for you to “meet” La Micia today because, although our stories are different, La Micia and I both dealt with depression before God gave us our knights in shining armor. I’m all about princesses and fairy tales and this is an awesome Christian fairy tale!] Do you believe God can give you a happily ever after? I’ve done things my way for 20 years and when I finally came to God, he gave me my fairy tale. I probably made just about every mistake a teenager and young adult could make, and what’s crazy is I grew up in the Church! From impurity to…

  • Relationships

    Practice Patience with Your Spouse

    [Guest Post by Ashleigh Slater – I always appreciate returning the favor when a fellow author lets me share about my book on her blog. This is Ashleigh’s first book entitled Team Us. I appreciate her sharing wisdom on 4 steps to practice patience with your spouse’s old habits. Enjoy and be encouraged!]  In the weeks that led up to our wedding, my husband Ted informed our friends, family, and anyone who would listen of his impending death. “Death?” you ask. Yep, death. Death, that is, to his single self. The self that could buy a new Nord Electro on a whim. Or stay up until two in the morning…

  • 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…

  • Relationships

    Don't Throw Yourself Away

    [Guest Post by Wendy Griffith – I really resonate with her story and not throwing your life away. If you find yourself struggling with your worth in Christ today, be encouraged! You are not alone.] My heart was crushed—but somehow I was still breathing. It had been just a week since my breakup with a man whom I had once believed was the love of my life when Dr. Pat Robertson, founder and chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network, called me into his office. Like a concerned father, Pat gently commanded, “Wendy, come in here. Tell me what happened.” The compassion in his voice caused the tears that were already…

  • Health & Body

    Lessons Learned from Fasting

    [Guest Post by Elise Boggs – We met many years at North Coast Church. She worked on staff with the College ministry, and I was serving as a volunteer in the 20-something ministry. It’s pretty amazing to see how far she has come. If you find yourself like Elise, unfamiliar with fasting — I think you will like to hear her story.] Miracles do happen. Last year was a challenging year. I made the decision to leave my role in ministry, I ended a two year relationship, and I became overwhelmed with anxiety to the point of being issued a mandatory three month sabbatical by my doctor. I felt like…

  • Devotionals,  Faith

    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…

  • Relationships

    How to Motivate Your Son to Follow Christ

    [Guest Post by Rhonda Stoppe – Whenever I meet a fellow Harvest House author I am excited to connect and have him or her share their story on Devotional Diva. If you are a mom of a boy or boys, you will appreciate this how-to!] How can I motivate my son to want to follow Christ? Moms ask me all the time, How can I get my son to want to follow Christ? My answer? You cannot coerce, manipulate, or even reward your son enough to make him want to live in full abandon to Christ. You can however, live in a manner that makes following Christ irresistible! Your son–as…