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!
Worry Wart
I don’t know about you, but I sure can be a worry wart sometimes. You may have noticed it’s not very fun to be around someone who worries a lot. You can easily look at their story from the outside and see it all working out, wondering why they are stressing the small stuff so much. But being the one going through the stressful thing? That’s a completely different story.
Rooted
The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve loved learning about plants and gardening. It’s quite a skill to learn how to care for a plant. It’s not just the effort to make sure your plant has enough sunlight and water, but you must also protect it from pests and disease and make sure it has great soil, too.
Where Is the Line?
The wicked are often mentioned in God’s Word as people who pursue wealth and boast in it—finding their peace and security in their belongings. We are warned over and over again not to become jealous of what they have, because accumulating things in this way is meaningless and harmful. Sometimes, Christians can read passages like these and quickly conclude, “Got it! Having nice things is bad.” But this isn’t the case either. God often blesses His children with good things, and the enemy would love to heap shame on us and make us feel unworthy of receiving and enjoying God’s provision when it comes. So where is the line? How do we know the difference?
Never Say Never
I don’t know about you, but I’ve experienced several rounds of saying “never,” then regretting my words later. I’ve done it enough to now preface my “never” statements with: “I know… never say never… but I highly doubt I’ll ever…” Sometimes life throws us curveballs we don’t expect. Other times, we disappoint ourselves and make bad decisions we never thought we were capable of.
A Better Way to Disagree
Paul’s letters to the church are so important for us to read as the church today. There are so many lessons in the words he wrote to the early church that still apply to us today. In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul was addressing arguments within the church over what kinds of food were okay or not okay to eat. They were caught up in the details—but Paul noticed the root issue. The solution to the problem wasn’t found in who was right or wrong. Instead, it was found in keeping a posture of love toward one another, staying true to their personal convictions while also being respectful of others who had a different opinion.