James 5:16 MSG — Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.

How open are you to sharing your struggles with Christian friends? Do you allow others to see your vulnerability or do you work hard to keep your struggles hidden? When thinking about how we hide our weaknesses I think of the scene from the Wizard of Oz when the characters see on the other side of the curtain the wizard has been hiding behind. Click here to watch the video.

Sharing our struggles is a way to connect and oftentimes witness to others. Allowing others to see how you react and respond to your troubles may reveal struggles you have in common. Being vulnerable also allows others to share your struggles so they may pray for you. I encourage you to let down the curtain around you instead of constructing a perfect looking facade. Being vulnerable and sharing with others can become a beautiful blessing for both of you.

Let’s pray. Dear God, give me strength to let down the curtain I use to cover my struggles. Use my vulnerability to witness and share with others. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV — But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

What does “vulnerable” mean to you? Being vulnerable seems negative when simply studying the meaning outside of the context of the Christian life. Vulnerable can mean being exposed and susceptible. This week let’s explore how being vulnerable in our relationship with God can be our biggest blessing. I encourage you to begin your devotion time each morning by being open and receptive to new ideas God may lay on your heart. Rely on the grace of Christ as you explore being vulnerable in your Christian walk.

Let’s pray. Dear God, open my mind, heart, and ears to Your individual message for me this week. May I be an open and willing vessel for You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen

Join us as we end our week by talking about taking time to pause and light the candle.

The point is, Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ’s Word is preached, there’s nothing to listen to. – Romans 10:17 MSG

A new calendar year presents a blank slate of the next 12 months and an opportunity to create goals. Such is the case each year when Deborah, Julie and I each select a word of the year.

Last year my word was “prayer” as I wanted to be more intentional about my daily prayer schedule. Establishing set times during the day to stop and pray was something that, surprisingly, quickly became a beneficial habit.

While praying more often and offering thanks for my many blessings was needed, it became evident there was a problem: I was doing all the talking. What I need to do more of is “listen,” which is my word for 2024.

God speaks to us through His holy word in the Bible. Also, our prayers are conversations with God. If we are quiet and listen, God will give us the true direction we desperately need in this world filled with road blocks and dead ends.

Have you chosen a word for 2024? Do you have a mantra or quote that you want to shape your days? It’s not too late. We would love to hear from you about what God has laid on your heart.

A prayer for today: Loving Heavenly Father, thank You for the blessings You provide. Please forgive us of our sins and help us be reflections of Your love. Please help us hear Your voice, and obey. In Jesus’ precious name, amen.

Isaiah 26:12 NIV — Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.

Sometimes a forced pause is just what we need. A couple days after Christmas my family all became sick with the flu. For the first couple days I stood strong, running around from person to person to be sure they were cared for properly. Then, out of the blue, the flu hit me too. For the next three days I rarely left my bed. The first day, when my fever was the highest, I mostly slept off and on. The following two days I spent time watching lots of TV, napping, and sipping hot tea. While being sick was not what I wished for, I have to admit being forced to pause proved to have its rewards. I was able to relax without feeling guilty.

Being sick also gave me plenty of time to pray and ask God for discernment about His plans for 2024. God reminded me how important it is to take time to pause so that I am able to give my best to my family and my work. Planned pauses are always easier than forced pauses, but may each of us also appreciate the value of those moments when we are forced to slow down and pause.

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for showing me the value of forced pauses. Show me pockets of time each day to take time and pause with You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. 

Psalms 61:1-3 NIV — Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.

Yesterday I shared with you the acronym P.R.A.Y. = pause, reflect, ask, yield. Today I share a poem that encourages us to “practice the pause.”

When in doubt, pause.

When angry, pause.

When tired, pause.

When stressed, pause.

And when you pause, pray.

As I have written before, I like to light a candle when I have my devotion time in the morning. As suggested by Julie, my mantra for 2024 will be “light the candle.” Instead of only lighting a candle in the mornings during devotion time, I will also light candles in the afternoons and evenings when home. I even took the time to change all the batteries in my remote controlled candles. Over the last week I have enjoyed pausing and lighting our house with the soft glow of candlelight. I encourage you to take the time to pause and light the candle. Practice the pause in life and refer to the above poem when life is overwhelming. 

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for gentle reminders to pause. Speak to me in the moments of pause and help me to light the candle. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV — Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Life is so busy. We, as a society, stay in constant motion. Last year God gave me the word “relish” as my word of the year. Last year my son graduated from high school, my first grandchild was born, and my daughter began driving herself to school. I relished the moment as my son took his last swing at home plate and my daughter served the final serve for her 2023 volleyball season. The year brought many ups and downs and God gave me strength and courage each step of the way.

As I prayed for insight from God about my word for 2024 He told me to pause. While I have learned to relish moments, I need to jump off the merry-go-round pace of life more often and sit quietly at the feet of Jesus. When studying, I ran across the acronym P.R.A.Y. = pause, reflect, ask, yield. Let’s all use this acronym as a catalyst for spiritual growth during times God leads us to pause.

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for leading me to pause. Help me to remember to P.R.A.Y. In Jesus’ name, Amen.