joy

This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
— Psalm 118:24 (NKJV)
 
Summer is here, kids are out of school, and everything slows down for a heartbeat.
Ummmm…nothing could be further from the truth.
Summer somehow becomes its own kind of busy. Family picnics, vacations, church events, motorcycle rides, ballgames, camping trips, activities for the grandkids…sometimes when I look at the calendar trying to plan something, it’s almost disappointing to realize there’s barely an open day left.
There is always something going on.
But you know what? I’m actually thankful for that.
Because when my calendar is full, it means my life is full of blessings too.
When there are games or school events to attend, it means I have grandchildren who still want MeowMeow there cheering them on.
When there’s a church event, it means I have a church family and a place to belong.
When there’s a motorcycle ride or CMA event, it means I get to spend time doing something I love with people who feel like family.
When there’s a trip planned, it means I get to experience life alongside my handsome and amazing husband, the love of my life.
And some of my favorite moments aren’t even the big planned events.
They’re the quiet ones.
Watching a sunrise or sunset while camping.
Sitting around after a long day talking and laughing.
Watching the grandkids learn something new — riding their bikes, mastering a 4-wheeler, or accomplishing something they didn’t think they could do — and seeing their faces light up with pride and excitement.
Those are the moments that remind me life is good.
Not perfect. Not stress-free. Not always easy.
But good.
Sometimes we spend so much time wishing for “more free time” that we forget that being busy often comes from being surrounded by people, purpose, love, and opportunities we would deeply miss if they were gone.
Psalm 118:24 reminds us to rejoice in the day God has given us. Not someday. Not when life finally slows down. Today.
Even in the busy seasons - especially in the busy seasons.
Because one day we may look back and realize these were the moments we’ll treasure most.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible

routine

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
— Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
 
I have talked before about the old Dunkin’ Donuts commercial back in the 1980s where a sleepy guy would drag himself out of bed at something like 2:00 in the morning saying, “Time to make the donuts.” The commercial would show him doing the same thing day after day — getting up, making donuts, coming home, sleeping, and repeating the cycle over and over until eventually he passed himself coming and going. 
Honestly…sometimes life feels like that.
My husband and I were doing one of those random internet couple quizzes on a long drive the other day, and one question asked what chore we hated the most. His answer was the chores that you have to do and then undo repeatedly — like holiday decorations. You spend hours putting everything up, only to turn around a few weeks later and pack it all back down again.
For me, it’s the “redo” chores: Laundry, dishes, vacuuming, cleaning things that somehow immediately become dirty again.
You wash the clothes so everyone can wear them and put them back into the dirty laundry pile. You wash dishes so people can eat and make more dishes. Sometimes it feels like life is just one endless loop of redoing the same tasks over and over.
Routine can be comforting…but sometimes routine feels heavy.
Especially when you live with chronic pain or exhaustion and still have to keep showing up anyway. Fibromyalgia is no joke, y’all. Some days even simple tasks feel bigger than they should.
And fostering kittens? Oh, the joy is real. Watching tiny kittens play, grow, and learn to trust people is one of the sweetest things ever. But the cleanup? Endless. Food bowls, litter boxes, blankets, messes…repeat forever. 
But here’s the thing: even the repetitive work has purpose.
The laundry means we have clothes to wear.
The dishes mean people gathered to eat together.
The decorations mean memories were made.
The kitten mess means little lives were saved and loved.
The routines we sometimes dread are often evidence of blessings we once prayed for.
Galatians reminds us not to grow weary in doing good. That doesn’t mean we won’t get tired. It simply means the work still matters, even when it feels repetitive or unnoticed.
Sometimes the holiest things we do are not flashy at all. Sometimes faithfulness looks like folding laundry, feeding kittens, showing up to work, or taking care of people while quietly carrying our own struggles.
God sees every unseen act of love.
Even the redo’s.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible

it matters

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.
— Zechariah 4:10 (NLT)
 
Wednesday is always the interesting middle child of the week anyway. Not the fresh start of Monday, not the “almost there” feeling of Friday. Just sitting there like, “Well…guess we keep going.” 
Sometimes faith feels like that too. Not always huge mountaintop moments or dramatic life-changing events. Sometimes it’s simply continuing on, one small step at a time.
I’ve been writing these “Daily Bread” messages since 2009. It started very simply — sharing Bible verses that others sent me each day. Then over time I began writing my own thoughts about the verses. Then I started noticing the connections…how God meets us everywhere, even in the little moments when we least expect Him to be there.
What began as sharing scripture with a few friends slowly grew into daily emails, text messages, blog posts, a Facebook group, and other social media platforms. Honestly, there are still days when I feel like I just don’t have it in me to write. Days where I wonder if anybody is even reading anymore and I consider stopping altogether.
And then a message comes through.
“I needed that today.”
“Your post hit the nail on the head.”
“Thank you…that helped more than you know.”
It’s the little things.
Small reminders that we are not alone in this world. Small moments that point people back toward hope. Tiny acts of obedience that God somehow turns into encouragement for someone else.
I think sometimes we underestimate how much little things matter to God.
A kind word, a short prayer, a text message,  a smile, a Bible verse shared at the right moment, a reminder that we do not have to be perfect for God to love us.
Most of us are not called to change the entire world overnight. But we are called to keep showing up faithfully in the small things.
And the beautiful part is that God often works through those ordinary moments in extraordinary ways.
You may never fully know how one small act of kindness, encouragement, or faithfulness impacts another person. But God knows.
So if you’re feeling unnoticed today, remember this: little things matter more than we realize.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible

running on empty

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
— Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
 
Good grief…it’s only Tuesday.
How is it possible to feel more tired after a break than before we took one? Even weekends never seem long enough. Personally, I firmly believe in a 4-day work week with a 3-day weekend every week…even though I’ve never actually had that schedule. And while we’re at it, I also think retirement should happen around age 50 so people can actually enjoy life a little. But I digress. 
The truth is, we are a society that never stops moving.
All the conveniences that were supposed to make life easier somehow seem to add even more work. Take cell phones and computers for example. We can now be reached anytime, anywhere. Work follows us home, into waiting rooms, onto vacations, and sometimes even into bed at night when we check “just one more thing.”
And interestingly enough, when computers first became common, people thought offices would become “paperless.” Instead, paper use actually increased for many years because suddenly everyone could print emails, reports, manuals, guides, drafts, spreadsheets, and copies of everything imaginable. Technology made producing information faster, but not necessarily simpler.
No wonder we are mentally and emotionally exhausted sometimes. We never fully unplug.
Even Jesus stepped away from the crowds to rest and pray. If the Son of God needed quiet moments to recharge, maybe we shouldn’t feel guilty for needing them too.
The problem is many of us keep running on empty spiritually, emotionally, and physically because we think slowing down means weakness. But God never designed us to carry nonstop stress without rest.
Isaiah 40:31 reminds us where true renewal comes from. Not another energy drink. Not another vacation. Not another perfectly organized calendar.
Real strength comes from the Lord.
That doesn’t mean life suddenly becomes less busy. But it does mean we don’t have to carry it all alone.
So if you’re feeling tired this Tuesday, maybe this is your reminder to pause for a moment. Breathe. Pray. Step away from the noise for a few minutes and let God refill what the world keeps draining.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible

back at it

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.
— Colossians 3:23 (NIV)
 
There’s nothing like a 4-day weekend to rejuvenate your mind. Getting out of the house, away from the normal routine, can do wonders for the soul. This past week for us meant setting up the RV and spending three days just breathing a little deeper and relaxing a little more.
I mess up my words sometimes, and once I told my husband that my favorite part about camping was taking time to “decompose.” What I meant was decompress…but honestly after some work weeks, maybe both apply.
There’s something peaceful about slowing down long enough to hear yourself think again. No rushing. No alarms. No endless notifications demanding your attention every five minutes. Just quiet mornings, fresh air, and those little “ahhhh” moments that remind you life is more than schedules and stress.
But then comes that last morning.
You wake up knowing it’s time to pack everything up and head home. Suddenly the peaceful weekend gives way to laundry piles, unpacking, unfinished chores, overflowing emails, notifications, and trying to remember passwords you somehow forgot in only four days. Then Monday shows up whether we’re ready or not.
Sometimes I think we wish we could stay in those peaceful moments forever. But real life keeps moving.
The beautiful thing is this: God doesn’t only meet us in the quiet campground moments. He goes with us into the ordinary too. Into the offices, kitchens, traffic jams, laundry rooms, meetings, and routines.
Faith isn’t only found in the big moments away from reality. Sometimes it’s found in simply showing up on Monday with a grateful heart and trusting God to walk with us through another week.
So today, as you ease back into the swing of things, remember you are not doing it alone.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible

out of office

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.
- Mark 6:31 (NIV)
 
Have you ever gone into complete panic mode because you lost your phone? Your connection to work, family, weather alerts, news, social media — suddenly gone? Only to realize you were using the flashlight on your phone to look for your missing phone? Or maybe you were talking to someone on your phone while searching for your phone?
I admit it has happened to me more than once.
We live in a world where everyone is expected to always be available. Through many of my work roles over the years, I’ve carried pagers, emergency phones, and had bosses who could call at any time to pull me into a focus room when something went wrong. For years I slept with my phone volume turned all the way up “just in case” something happened at work or with family. We become so connected to the world around us that silence can actually make us uncomfortable.
The first time I went on a vacation where there was no cell service, no Wi-Fi, no connection at all, my panic level was sky high. What if someone needed me? What if work fell apart? What if something happened?
But you know what?
When I returned to civilization four days later, nothing was permanently broken. The world was still turning, and people were still peopling.
Somewhere along the way, we started believing that rest equals laziness, but that isn’t true at all. Even Jesus stepped away sometimes. In the middle of teaching, healing, crowds, and constant demands, He told His disciples to come away to a quiet place and rest. If the Son of God made time to step away from the noise, maybe we need to as well.
God often speaks in quiet places. Not always through notifications, alarms, crowded schedules, or endless scrolling — but in stillness. In deep breaths. In sunsets. In conversations around campfires. In moments where the world grows quiet enough for us to hear Him again.
So for the next couple of days, this little Daily Bread corner will be “out of office.” Take care of yourselves, enjoy the people around you, breathe deeply, rest well… and I’ll meet you back here Monday. 💙
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible

taste and see

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.
- Psalm 34:8 (NIV)
 
It’s Taco Tuesday!
I remember when I was a teenager there was a fast-food chain that advertised “Taco Twosday” — two tacos for 99 cents. For a lot of families, it became a tradition that still continues today. (And honestly, I still miss the Potato Olés from that place.)
It’s interesting how food becomes tied to comfort, tradition, and memories. Some foods immediately make us think of certain people or moments in life. My grandmother made the best coconut cream pie. My mother-in-law makes all kinds of amazing foods — some recipes passed down for generations like currant biscuits and lefse, and others that may be uniquely hers, like rhubarb custard pie and her famous bean dish.
Somewhere along the way, my own contributions to family favorites became chicken and rice and chicken parmesan. My future daughter-in-law makes a Mexican chicken dish that is absolutely delicious.
And then there are the foods that seem woven into life itself: Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey, Easter ham, birthday cakes, hot dogs at baseball games, and all the picnic foods that show up during summer gatherings.
Food has a way of bringing people together around a table to laugh, tell stories, and make more memories. God designed us for connection, and some of the sweetest moments in life happen while sharing a meal with people we love.
But while we spend time thinking about what nourishes our bodies, we also need to remember our spiritual nourishment. A good meal satisfies us for a little while, but only God can truly fill the deeper hunger in our hearts.
Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” What an invitation that is. God doesn’t just want us to know about Him from a distance. He invites us to experience His goodness personally — to sit at His table, to receive His grace, and to find comfort and satisfaction in Him.
So whether today includes tacos, leftovers, or a drive-thru meal on the way home from work, take a moment to thank God not only for daily bread, but for the spiritual nourishment only He can provide.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible