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!
Lean On Me
I am the world’s worst at remembering lyrics to songs. It’s not surprising when I can’t remember the lyrics to basic songs like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” “Happy Birthday,” or even that worship song with the same chorus you sing 1,000 times during a service. I don’t know why—I LOVE music! Just ask Christy. The only problem is, much like my inability to remember lyrics, I often forget song titles, artists, and everything in between. I just know I like it when I hear it. Have you ever felt that way?
Rest on Every Side
Sometimes we go through very long, difficult seasons and forget something important while we’re in the middle of them: they are “seasons,” not meant to last forever, no matter how permanent they feel at the time. Both the best and worst days of our lives come and go—we can’t freeze them in time. Even the longest seasons that seem painfully permanent, like incurable sickness or the sting of loss, will have an end one day when we see Jesus face to face.
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?