Today’s Always Uplifting Verse and Devotional to start your day off right!

Growth Through Struggles

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“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

James 1:2-4

Public speaking terrifies most people, but not my five-year-old daughter. At her class recital, she was thrilled to step up to the microphone and recite her poem in front of parents, teachers, and classmates.

She began beautifully, reciting the first part with ease. She paused before continuing, but the audience assumed she had finished and began clapping. With all the confidence of a kindergartner, she declared, “I’m not done yet.”

The crowd erupted in laughter, and so did I, but then her expression shifted. Tears welled up in her eyes.

My wife and I froze, unsure of what to do. Should we step in and comfort her? My heart ached as I watched her crumble under the weight of the moment. I wanted to rush in, to hold her, to fix it all. But something held me back.

Her teacher gently stepped in, putting an arm around her shoulder and walking her back to her seat. She wiped her tears, and after a few deep breaths, she was herself again.

That moment really tugged at my heart. But I realized something: she was safe, and this was not something I needed to fix.

Life is filled with hard and uncomfortable moments like these. I was reminded of how God allows us to walk through life’s tough moments, not because He is distant but because He knows growth often follows struggle.

I am learning how sometimes the best thing I can do for my kids, family members, and friends is to take a step back when the moment calls for it. You can always trust that God can use the struggles to grow something beautiful in time.

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How He Loves Us

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“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:38-39

Grief can drown you—or it can carry you to love you never knew existed.

It began with a phone call—a moment that shattered John Mark’s world. His best friend Stephen had been in a car accident.

Just hours earlier, Stephen had prayed with fiery passion, asking God to reveal His love to others. It was a prayer for revival, for hearts to be changed. Now, he was gone.

The questions came in waves, relentless and unanswerable. How could someone so alive, so full of faith, be taken so suddenly? How could such a vibrant Christian’s life be cut short?

The loss was suffocating, like a wave that refused to break. So, John Mark let the tears fall and began to write a song.

“He is jealous for me. Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree.”

The song “How He Loves” was never meant to leave his room. It was John Mark McMillan’s way of processing the unthinkable. Yet, when the song began to spread, people were drawn to its honesty. It reminded them that God’s love is vast, unshakable, and personal, even in the hardest moments.

If your heart feels heavy today too, lean into this truth: God’s love is big enough to carry you, even now. Do not let go of it—it will never let go of you.

 

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Intentional Connections

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

Proverbs 17:17

There is something about January that feels like a clean slate. It invites me to pause and reflect on what truly matters. This year, as I have been thinking through my priorities, one thought has stayed with me: I want to be a better friend.

It is not that I do not care about my friendships—I do. But life gets busy. The demands of work, family, and everyday routines pile up, and suddenly, I realize that weeks have passed since I last checked in on someone I care about.

Deep down, though, I know I can do better.

As I have thought about this, I am reminded of the example of true friendship that Jesus showed. Even with the weight of His ministry, He always had time to connect—to make others feel seen and cared for. His love was active, intentional, and deeply personal.

I want to mirror that in my life. Maybe you do, too. If there is someone on your heart right now, I encourage you—send the text, make the call, say the prayer. It could mean more to them than you ever realized.

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A Walk in the Park with God

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“The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.”

Psalm 145:18

THE HEART ❤️ OF THE ARTIST:

Phil Wickham tugged his jacket tighter as the cool breeze swept through the park. His wife Mallory laughed softly at something he said, her hand brushing his as their dogs trotted ahead on their leashes.

This was their time—a sacred pause in the chaos of the day.

As they talked, Phil’s thoughts wandered to another walk—a far older one. He imagined God in the Garden of Eden, walking with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. No agenda, no rush, just perfect relationship.

That picture stayed with him. Wasn’t that what God wanted all along? A relationship built not on rituals but on the sharing of life through unhurried conversations.

Prayer, he thought, was supposed to feel like this. It was not about perfection or formality. It was about showing up and being real, even about the messy parts of life.

The God who shaped the stars and painted the sky longed to hear from him. Some days, his prayers were as simple as, “That was hard, God,” or “Can You believe today?” And every time, he felt God’s presence, as if He had been waiting for that moment all along.

As they turned back toward home, Phil resolved to stay intentional, not just with Mallory but with God. Because the same God who walked with Adam and Eve is still waiting—for him, and for all of us—to take that first step.

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Preparing for Miracles

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“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11:1

It is hard to believe he is finally here. As I rock baby Dunn in my arms, I cannot help but think back to the chaos of those days before he arrived.

Weekends working on his nursery were filled with paint-splattered clothes, late night Johnny’s pizza, and endless stacks of diapers waiting to be organized. Our house was a mess, but our hearts were full.

Years before, when we faced the painful reality of infertility, my husband and I could have let fear stop us. But deep in our hearts, we knew God had a different plan. So we prayed. We did not stop there—we acted as though God’s answer was already on the way.

We began filling drawers with wipes and baby clothes long before there was any sign our prayers would be answered. To anyone else, it might have looked ridiculous, but to us those small steps were a way of saying, “We believe.”

I will not pretend any of it was easy. But the moment his tiny hand wrapped around my finger, I knew every late night and tear-filled prayer was worth it. I see now how those small acts of preparation strengthened me. They gave me something tangible to lean on when uncertainty felt overwhelming.

If the Lord has placed a dream on your heart, go ahead and begin preparing for it. One day, you will look back and realize every step of faith you take, even if it feels hard or impossible, has a purpose.

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Discover Lasting Confidence

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

Psalms 139:14

When I was in Junior High, I thought a new outfit could fix everything. I remember trying on the outfits I got for Christmas, feeling like I could finally step into a new version of myself when I went back to school.

That excitement lasted for about a day until I realized my confidence was not as lasting as I thought. As time went by, I realized that no matter what I wore, I still struggled with self-doubt and comparison.

It took years of facing those feelings for me to understand that what I was searching for could not be found in how I looked or what others thought of me. Slowly, God began showing me that my identity was found in how He sees me.

Now, I know that I am valued and loved by God simply because I belong to Him.

So today, if you have ever felt like you are not enough, I want you to hear this: you were made with care, with purpose, and with love. There is a confidence you can hold onto that will not fail or fade. It is found in the One who sees you and loves you unconditionally.

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Transforming Tragedy into Love

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“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Hebrews 13:16

Have your plans ever turned completely upside down in the best way possible? That is exactly what happened to a youth leader I recently talked to.

It started with a simple announcement in the church bulletin: the first fifty students to sign up could attend a Christian concert for $25 each. But two days later, everything changed with one phone call.

“Hi,” said the woman on the other end, “would it be too much trouble if my husband and I paid for all fifty tickets?”

The youth leader’s jaw hit the floor.

“It’s ok. Breathe.” said the woman.

Then, she shared her heart. She and her husband had lost their son in a car accident, but instead of letting the pain define them, they decided to make something good come out of it. They wanted to invest in the faith of teenagers, to give them opportunities to grow in ways her son would have loved. And with that, she wrote a check for $1,250.

Sometimes, love shows up in the most surprising ways—often through people who have walked through unimaginable pain. It leaves me wondering: what could you do today that might spark hope for someone else?

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Lighten Your Emotional Load

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“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:31-32

Shakespeare nearly broke my back. Not the man, of course, but thebook. In college, I was required to haul around this behemoth that held every word the man ever wrote. I am not exaggerating when I say it weighed more than a cast iron skillet.

I spent weeks dragging it around campus. My back was aching. My shoulders were sore, and eventually, it broke the metal fastener on my bookbag.

It got me thinking about the things we carry. Sure, a bookbag breaking is no big deal, but what about the emotional weight we drag through life? Those grudges we hold, those deep hurts we refuse to let go of—they are far heavier.

And unlike a book, they do not sit quietly in a corner. They grow heavier the longer we carry them, pulling us down, sapping our joy, and making everything harder.

God has a better way, though. Forgiveness, I have found, sounds like such a simple word, but it can feel like climbing a mountain barefoot. It takes time, especially when the pain cuts deep. But little by little, letting go of those burdens lightens the load.

And choosing freedom over bitterness, my friend, is worth it.

So, what about you? Is there something you have been carrying around that you are not meant to hold anymore? You were never made to live weighed down. It is time to let it go, piece by piece, and let God carry the rest. You might be surprised how light life feels when your hands—and your heart—are free.

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Lead Others to Hope

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John 3:30

John stands in the river, the weight of hundreds of eyes pressing on him. He has been here so many times before, calling people to leave their past mistakes behind and step into something better.

The crowd draws closer, their faces a mix of hope and expectation. They cling to every word, as though he holds the answers they are searching for. But John knows better. He is only the messenger. The one they truly need has not yet stepped forward—until now.

He looks up, wiping his brow, as a man emerges from the crowd and steps into the water. John’s breath catches. It is Him. Jesus. The one he has spent his entire life preparing people to meet. He carries a hope so real it can change everything.

As Jesus approaches, John whispers, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus insists, leaving no room for debate.

Taking a deep breath, John does as he is told. He lowers Jesus into the water, feeling the weight of the moment in his bones. When Jesus rises, the sky seems to burst open. A voice, unmistakable and full of love, declares who Jesus truly is— God’s Son, sent to bring life and hope to a broken world.

John stands frozen. He looks down at his hands and realizes this moment was never about him. It was always about pointing others to Jesus. That is his purpose. That is what matters.

What about you? What if your life is not about being noticed but about leading others to the one who brings true hope? Maybe real fulfillment is not found in being seen, but in helping others see Him.

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See Beyond the Chaos

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.”

Psalms 19:1

Carl Boberg had not planned for a storm to change his life. He had set out on an ordinary walk to clear his mind.

Thunder cracked across the horizon, and the storm swept over the hills like a painter brushing chaos onto a canvas. Carl hurried to find shelter from the relentless downpour.

But it was what came next that truly moved him. The storm passed as quickly as it came, leaving behind a peace so profound it felt like a entirely different world. The clouds opened, birds returned to their melodies, and sunlight spilled across the landscape.

He stood there, amazed—not just by nature, but by the God who created it all.

That moment stayed with him, and he knew he had to capture it somehow. He wrote a poem about what he had seen and felt.

“O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the works Thy hands have made.”  

Years later, that poem found its way into the hymn we now know as “How Great Thou Art.” 

What if we viewed our own storms through Carl’s eyes? Could we see beyond the chaos and recognize the beauty of God’s hand at work? Let those moments point you back to Him, and let your soul, like Carl’s, sing.

 

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