Devotionals Days of Bible 7Devotions to Strengthen

Your Faith

Daily

DailY devotionals

very day you have an opportunity to feel Gods presence in your life. These daily devotionalseach with a Bible verse, inspiring personal story and prayerhelp deepen your relationship with God. They give you quiet time for reflection, and remind you of the importance of faith, hope and love in your life. Whether you want to start your day off with a spiritual focus or enjoy a sense of peace and calm just before bedtime, these readings will help you develop a practice of connecting your faith and values with your everyday life.

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Contents
spreading the love
By Pam Kidd

4 6 7 8 9

the stuff of life

By riCK Hamlin

our Wireless Connection

By mary lou Carney

Winged Beauty
By Fred Bauer

no Pain, no Gain
By edWard Grinnan

Judge not
By sCott WalKer

Gods little surprises

By Julia attaWay

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DailY devotionals

Spreading the Love

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Pam Kidd

This woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. Acts 9:36 (NAS)

What a pleasure its been to take time to consider the gifts Ive been given, writes Pam Kidd of Nashville, Tennessee. A few years ago my daughter Keri went into real estate to support our Zimbabwe habit; we are now feeding 900 hungry children every day with our earnings!

omeone lefT This on my desk, my husband david said as he walked through the kitchen and tossed a gold box on the counter. my name was written on the tag, but i couldnt identify the handwriting. i untied the ribbon; inside was a colorful array of candy-coated almonds. smiling to myself, i popped one into my mouth and thought: someone is having a deanna day. Candy-coated almonds have been my favorite treat since childhood. i dont remember how our friend deanna discovered my preference, but candy-coated almonds began appearing on my birthday, Christmas, easter. always packaged in some clever way, the candy told me i was special, cared about, loved. after deanna died in a terrible car wreck, our church family began sharing stories of her thoughtfulness. deanna had regularly put envelopes of clipped cartoons and jokes on davids desk to help with his sermons. for Gloria, it was licorice. There were welltimed phone calls to shut-ins and holiday open houses for the lonely. deannas kindness was endless, and her passing left a gaping hole that i thought would never be filled. Then i received the letter: dear Pam, i want you to know that God speaks to us through your photographs. Today is my deanna day. remembering how deanna used to write thoughtful notes to people and how she always had a way of making others feel good about themselves made some of us decide to take one day a month to do something deanna would have done. The fifth day of every month is my deanna day and thats why im writing this note to you. love, mary ev. my almonds had come midmonth, so they werent from mary ev. There was really no way to know whom they were from, because the ripples of deannas kindness were spreading through our entire church congregation and beyond. Father, the world is waiting for me to act on Your teachings. Let me make today my Deanna Day.

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DailY devotionals

The Stuff of Life

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riCK Hamlin

God setteth the solitary in families. . . . Psalm 68:6

Rick Hamlin and his wife Carol, of New York City, became empty nesters this year as their youngest son left for college. Rick is a regular blogger on both Guideposts.org and OurPrayer.org

oCks, shorTs, T-shirTs, jeans, khakis. a lot of T-shirts in Tims pile. Twice as many as usual. i guess that means soccer season has started. all those practices after school mean one more dirty shirt a day. he loves soccer, but hes been worried about doing well on the team. The stakes are getting higher now that hes in high school. i want him still to enjoy playing. i pray that competitiveness doesnt get rid of the fun. Wills socks. i can never match the socks right. Wills grown so tall and his feet are so long they look like flippers. he used to be able to wear my shoes, but hes outgrown my size. so why cant i tell his socks apart from mine? i have a pile of socks, and im just going to have to put them in pairs and hope they find the right drawers. hes almost an adult, but when i look at his socks i remember the tiny booties he once wore. God willing, he wont lose his childlike wonder as he grows into manhood. Carols bandanas. i think my wife uses them at the gym. funny, ive never asked. i usually fold them into quarters so they can fit into a pocket like a handkerchief. They come in beautiful colors: turquoise, lemon, raspberry. and theres the one that has the map of nearby hiking trails on it. reminds me of the spring day that we took one of those trails and hiked to the top of a mountain. We need to do that again. eventually everythings sorted and folded. laundry is done. sure, its a chore, but when i do it, im reminded of what i love about the ones i love. Lord, within this chore theres something to be thankful for.

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DailY devotionals

Our Wireless Connection

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mary lou Carney

Hear my voice when I call, O Lord. . . . Psalm 27:7 (NIV)

Mary Lou Carney became a grandmother for the fifth time this year when her son Brett and his wife Stacy welcomed a new baby. You can read about Mary Lous familyand her spiritual journeyon her OurPrayer. org blog.

unday morninG found me in the seattle, Washington, airport, waiting to catch a plane back to Chicago. i moved through the crowded boarding area, too restless just to sit and wait. other travelers checked their watches, read their books or worked on their laptops. But mostly, they talked on their cell phones. i caught snatches of conversations as husbands phoned wives, sons checked in with their mothers, sisters caught up on all the news. it seemed as though everyone was talking to his or her family! everyone except me. i looked at my new cell phone, cute and snug in the side of my purse. Problem was, id forgotten to charge it the night before, and my battery was too low to make any calls. how could i have been so forgetful? i was working myself into a bad mood when i happened to glance out the window. The sky seemed to go on forever, a pale blue broken by patches of angel-hair clouds. on the horizon, stately pine trees poked their heads toward the arching expanse. a widewinged bird came briefly into view before veering off and soaring out of sight. and like that bird, my spirit began to rise, too. i dont need a cell phone to communicate, i thought. so there in the midst of the hubbub of Gate C7, i closed my eyes and began a silent conversation. hello, father. i just thought id check in with you. . . . a few minutes later, as i boarded the plane, i watched the other passengers stow their cell phones. smiling, i patted the side of my purse, grateful for the low battery that led to my leisurely preflight conversation with my heavenly father.

How good it is, God, to know that I can always phone home and find you waiting for my call!

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DailY devotionals

Winged Beauty
The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. Psalm 104:12 (NIV)

Fred Bauer

Fred Bauer and his wife Shirley make their home in Englewood Beach, Florida, and State College, Pennsylvania. In addition to church work, they find time to volunteer.

hile volCano-WaTChinG in Costa rica, we stayed at the arenal observatory lodge, which originally was a private gathering place for vulcanologists from all over the world. i was captivated by the lodges grounds, with its beautiful trees and flowers and birdsespecially the birds. ive been an avid birdwatcher ever since college. Just outside our picture-windowed room, dozens of iridescent hummingbirds sopped breakfast nectar from nearby blooms. and the fiery flash of scarlet-rumped tanagers gave us all a thrill. But there were many species i didnt recognize. one morning we heard a strange, metallic, eardrum-rattling cry from a nearby tree, and we all raised our binoculars, searching the branches for the culprit. at first our only clue was a huge nest that hung down like an orioles cradle, but this one was huge, maybe a yard long. When the creature bellowed again, someone spotted it, and we all focused on the enormous black and chestnut bird with a distinctive yellow tail. it also had a bluish cheek patch and an orange beak. later, a naturalist on the grounds identified it as a montezuma oropendola. oro, he explained, is spanish for gold, and pendola, like a clocks pendulum. if you watch, youll see the bird swing its yellow tail like a pendulum. The bird got its first name, he ex plained, from the aztec emperor who fed them on the palace grounds. all of which necessitated a history lesson on mexico, the aztecs and Cortez, but what pleased me most was seeing my kids and grandkids fascination with birds. Their enthusiasm reminded me of a comment made almost 50 years ago by my college ornithology professor dr. everett myers: if you study them for only a season, youll be enraptured, and birds will give you a lifetime of enjoyment. Thank You, God for teachers who open our eyes To the beauty at our feet and the glory in the skies.

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DailY devotionals

No Pain, No Gain

M
edWard Grinnan

Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. I Peter 2:21 (RSV)

When wife Julee tripped over a toy dog and fell down stairs, Edward learned not only to take care of Julee, I learned a little more about how to take care of myself. The dog toy belonged to their two-year-old golden retriever Millie, the adventures of whom you can follow at Guideposts.org.

arla Was one of the kindest, gentlest, most compassionate people id ever met, which made it all the more dismaying that she was so intent on causing me pain. marla was my physical therapist after i broke my arm last year playing softball. her office was across the street from mine, so i made my thrice-weekly appointments for early in the morning before work. The first couple werent so bad. she kneaded my arm and stretched it a bit while we chatted amiably. This person wouldnt hurt a fly, i reassured myself. Then, the second week, we got down to business. marla would slowly twist my arm in one direction and murmur, Tell me when it hurts. yow! id yelp. But rather than stopping, she would twist it further. yow! Then she would hold it there. Count to three, shed say in her soft, soothing voice. id make it to three in record time. What you are feeling, marla explained, is good pain. healing pain. you get better by going through it, not around it. its the only way. still, as the weeks passed, more and more i found myself playing hooky from PT. it was during this time that i lost my mother after a long battle with alzheimers. When all the postmortem rituals were done, i was left in a kind of emotional fogbank, trying not to dwell on the darkening pain. i put in longer hours at the office and pushed myself harder at the gym. Then marla called. i havent seen you for a while, she said. dont you want to get better? her question was still running through my thoughts as i lay on the therapy table the next morning. marla carefully manipulated my arm, tugging it in a direction i swore it would not go. When she said to count to three, i didslowly. it was the only way. Lord, teach me to trust you to be my Guide from the darkness to your eternal light, step by sometimes painful step.

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DailY devotionals

Judge Not

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sCott WalKer

He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes. . . Isaiah 11:3

Scott Walker of Waco, Texas. is finishing a book, The Edge of Terror, about the experiences of American missionaries in the Philippines during World War II.

hen i Walked into my office this morning, there was a crisp $20 bill on my desk. Puzzled, i asked my assistant Carol if she knew where the money had come from. Carol smiled and said, Thats an interesting story, scott. This morning when i arrived at the office, there was a nice-looking young man in the reception area. he asked if you were here. When i told him it would be an hour or so before you arrived, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a $20 bill and handed it to me. he said that you had given him some money several years ago, and that he promised he would repay you. he said to tell you he had a great job now and to thank you. Then he left. as Carol talked, i suddenly recalled meeting that young man. late one saturday night, i had been leaving the church office after putting the finishing touches on a sermon. as i turned out the lights and walked toward the door, i saw the silhouette of a man standing on the steps. i opened the door cautiously, and the man turned to meet me. for a moment our eyes met, and i heard him say, Pastor, i need some help. my car is nearly out of gas, and ive got to get to austin tonight. Could you lend me some money? i promise ill pay you back. how many times have i heard that line? i thought, and i mentally formulated my reply: The office is closed. Theres nothing i can do. at the same time, i felt my hand reach for my billfold. Pulling out what i thought was a $5 bill, i realized too late that i was handing him a twenty. i wished him luck, we parted and the man melted into the night. While i had quickly forgotten that moment long ago, he had remembered. and now i could only be thankful that Gods spirit had shut my mouth and guided my hand to my pocket. God, may I always err on the side of grace as I give your love to others. Amen.

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Gods Little Surprise

I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart. Psalm 40:8 (NIV)

Julia attaWay

Having a high schooler and a kindergartner requires a bit of a stretch for Julia Attaway, but the bigger challenge is balancing work and family life. Somehow we muddle through, she writes, and Im sure thats not due to me but to the infinite grace of God.

om, make my hair extra neat today. franois is teaching, and he doesnt like messy buns. i dutifully sprayed on a little more water and twisted marys hair a bit tighter. i find it funny that mary is aware of the preferences of her various ballet teachers. Then again, its funny that i know anything at all about putting up hair. Before i had a daughter in ballet i knew nothing about buns. hair wasnt on my radar; i would have happily gone through life clueless about the subtle distinctions in using bobby pins and elastics. But life with children takes funny turns, and i find myself at middle age with a remarkable amount of knowledge about things i never imagined id know. i know about learning disabilities and cleaning snake cages and organizing reenactments of the revolutionary War. i can test for a broken bone and distract a napdeprived toddler during rush hour. i know (sort of) what a vector is, and ive learned an astonishing and heartbreaking amount about anxiety disorders. none of these things were on my list of hoped-for accomplishments in life. yet somehow this pile of oddities has a lot to do with who i am today. ive grown more from doing whats been plopped in my path than i have from pursuing my own interests. in a way, thats as it should be. i see what i want, but God sees beyond that to what i need. Theres a lot that goes into learning how to twist a bun into place. Lord, whatever I want for myself, help me want what you want for me more.

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