Devotionals
In 2015, I was given the opportunity to write devotionals for LandMAX Properties and Timber Company, where I worked part-time. The "Words of Encouragement" devotional series was originally inspired by LandMAX’s owner, Chad Smith, whose heart has always been to be a light to others through his daily work. Though my husband, Matt, and I took on a new ministry role out of town shortly after this began, I’ve continued writing for LandMAX ever since (and sometimes Matt jumps in to write as well)!
We’re incredibly grateful for the many years we’ve been part of this wonderful vision for the LandMAX community, and now we’re excited to extend these devotionals to you, too!
What Is God Really Like?
Sometimes we get a picture in our minds of God the Father—or even Jesus, His Son—as a strict, unapproachable authority figure, eagerly waiting for us to mess up so that He can discipline us harshly. Jesus, who was “fully God and fully man,” shows us the heart of the Father through His character. And thankfully, He isn’t quite what many of us would expect.
Already Written
The first few years of Jesus’ life had to be a wild ride for Joseph, the man God chose to be His father on earth. First, his fiancée became pregnant, and he had to trust that this truly was God’s doing and not unfaithfulness—now that’s a pretty big step of faith all on its own. She was carrying the Son of God and Savior of the world, but they were traveling when she went into labor, and there was no room for them in the inn, so she placed this newborn Savior in a manger. Then Joseph was warned in a dream to flee to Egypt, and they stayed there until Herod’s death because Herod had heard about Jesus and was actively searching to kill Him. After Herod died, an angel appeared to Joseph again in a dream and told them to return to Israel. However, they heard Herod’s son was the new ruler of Judea, so they settled in a small town called Nazareth. This probably felt very chaotic for Joseph. I wonder if he ever questioned, “Is this really part of God’s plan? Is it supposed to happen like this?”
Belief That Changes Reality
In Numbers 13, we find the Lord telling Moses to gather men to scout out the land that He was giving them to see what it was like. Notice the Lord Himself had already said, “the land I’m giving to the Israelites” (Numbers 13:1). Not the land He was thinking about giving to them—but the land their all-powerful God had already decided was theirs. Despite knowing this, ten of the twelve men came back with a posture of fear and doubt.
Plot Twist
I have a HUGE appreciation for any movie or TV series that intentionally foreshadows what is to come in the smallest details—especially if there’s a big plot twist that no one saw coming. Hidden in plain sight but completely obvious when you watch it a second time? Standing ovation from me. I love this kind of artistry.
