Standing at the Threshold

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
- Lamentations 3:22–23 (NIV)
 
The final day of the year invites reflection, whether we want it to or not. Some years are easy to celebrate as they close. Others are heavy to look back on—filled with loss, change, unanswered prayers, or moments we wish we could rewrite.
Yet here we stand.
Not because the year was gentle, but because God was faithful.
This verse reminds us that it is only by the Lord’s great love that we are not consumed. Not consumed by grief. Not consumed by fear. Not consumed by everything that tried to undo us along the way. His compassion carried us through days we didn’t think we could survive—and it will carry us forward into days we cannot yet see.
What a gift to know that when the calendar turns, God does not grow weary or distant. His mercy does not expire at midnight. Tomorrow’s grace is already prepared, waiting for us with the sunrise.
As this year comes to a close, we don’t need to have it all figured out. We simply need to remember this: the same faithful God who brought us here will walk with us forward.
Let our prayer today thank Him for carrying us through this year. Thank Him for His mercy that met us each morning and His love that held us together when we felt we were at our weakest. As we step into a new year, we should pray that He will help us trust Him with what lies ahead.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

He Came to Stay

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- John 1:14 (NIV)
 
Christmas tells us that Jesus came.
But this verse reminds us that He didn’t just arrive—He moved in.
The celebration of Christmas often feels like a visit. A beautiful one, full of warmth and wonder, but still something temporary. Guests come, joy fills the room, and then eventually everyone goes home. Life settles back into normal.
Jesus is not a holiday guest.
When Scripture says He “made His dwelling among us,” it means He chose to live here. To stay. To walk alongside us not just in the glow of Christmas lights, but in the everyday moments that follow—the ordinary, the messy, the quiet.
He came full of grace for our shortcomings and truth to guide our steps. He didn’t just come to be admired from a distance; He came to be known. To share life with us. To remain present long after the manger scene is packed away.
As we approach the end of this year, that truth matters. We don’t step into a new year alone. The same Jesus who entered our world is still dwelling with us now—and will be there when the calendar turns. He did not come just to visit, but to stay. Let's remember that He is present in every ordinary day, filling our lives with grace and truth.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible 

He Hasn’t Changed

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
- Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV)
 
Christmas has come and gone on the calendar.
The lights are coming down, the leftovers are nearly gone, and life is beginning to slide back into its normal rhythm. The songs change, the decorations get packed away, and suddenly December 25 feels like it happened a long time ago.
But Jesus hasn’t gone anywhere.
He is not confined to a single day, a season, or a celebration. The same Jesus we worshiped in awe at the manger is the same Jesus walking with us through these quiet in-between days. He is the same yesterday—when we celebrated His birth. He is the same today—as we fold laundry, return to routines, and catch our breath. And He will be the same forever—faithful, present, unchanging.
It’s easy to treat Christmas like something we “wrap up” once it passes. But the truth is, Jesus was never meant to stay in the nativity scene. He came to dwell with us every day—long after the shepherds went home and the star faded from view.
As we move forward into the final days of this year, may we remember that the heart of Christmas doesn’t disappear when the decorations do. Jesus is still Emmanuel—God with us—on December 29, and on every ordinary day that follows. Jesus does not change. When seasons pass and routines return, we should remember that He is still near, still faithful, and still worthy of our worship every single day.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

covered in love

 

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
- 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV)
 
There’s something so powerful about that little phrase:
“Above all…”
Above all the noise, above all the opinions.
Above all the disagreements and above all the offenses.
Love.
Not shallow love or convenient love, not selective love, but deep love.
The kind of love that chooses forgiveness over keeping score.
The kind of love that doesn’t dig up the past every time something goes wrong.
The kind of love that doesn’t keep reminding people of who they used to be.
Love that covers.
And isn’t that exactly what Jesus does for us?
He doesn’t expose our every failure or hold our worst mistakes over our heads.
He doesn’t love us “with conditions,” but He covers us with grace, mercy and with compassion.
At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of the One who would one day stretch His arms wide on a cross and cover every sin with His blood. That’s not a light, fluffy kind of love—that’s deep, sacrificial, life-changing love.
And now… He asks us to love like that too.
This is where it gets real.
Because loving deeply means:
Letting go of grudges, choosing forgiveness when it hurts, extending grace when someone doesn’t deserve it, and resisting the urge to constantly bring up old wounds.
Let’s be honest—none of that is easy.
But love that never costs anything is rarely love that changes anything.
If Jesus chose to cover me when I was at my worst…
How can I refuse to offer that same covering to someone else?
So today, I’m asking the hard heart-check questions:
Who do I still hold something against?
Who do I need to forgive—again?
Where have I chosen distance instead of deep love?
Because Christmas love isn’t just something we receive.
It’s something we are called to live.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible
 

What Child Is This

 

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
- Luke 2:11 (ESV)
 
From the very beginning, Jesus has invited the question What Child is this, lying in a manger, cradled in His mother’s arms? The shepherds asked it. The angels answered it. And still, we find ourselves returning to the question again and again—not because we don’t know the answer, but because the answer is so profound.
This child is not merely a baby born into humble circumstances. He is the fulfillment of God’s promises, wrapped in flesh. He is the Savior, the Messiah, the Lord—titles that carry weight, authority, and hope.
It’s easy to soften the story of Christmas, to focus on the sweetness and familiarity of it all. But this hymn gently pulls us deeper. It reminds us that the child in the manger is also the King of kings. The One who came quietly would one day change the world forever.
Jesus did not come simply to be admired. He came to redeem. He came to restore what was broken and to invite us into a relationship that would transform our lives.
As we reflect on who Jesus truly is, we are invited to respond—not just with wonder, but with trust. Not just with tradition, but with faith. The question What Child is this? leads us to a decision about how we will receive Him.
With today being Christmas day, may we see Him clearly. May we recognize Him not only as a baby in a manger, but as our Savior and Lord. And may our hearts respond with reverence, gratitude, and worship.
But not just today, every day.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

Silent Night

 

But Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often.
- Luke 2:19 (TLB)
 
Christmas Eve always takes me back to my husband’s hometown in Iowa—walking home from candlelight services as the snow begins to fall gently, the world hushed, and everything feeling peaceful and still, there is something about Christmas Eve that feels different.
The noise of the season begins to fade. The rushing slows. Lights glow a little softer. Even our hearts seem to whisper instead of shout. Silent Night invites us into that stillness—a moment where we stop doing and simply be.
The night Jesus was born was not truly silent. There were animals stirring, travelers passing through, and a young mother holding a newborn. Yet in the middle of all that, there was a holy quiet—a peace that could only come from God.
Silent night. Holy night.
This hymn reminds us that God often does His most profound work in stillness. Not in spectacle. Not in chaos. But in moments where we pause long enough to notice His presence.
Mary treasured these moments, holding them close to her heart. She didn’t rush past the wonder. She pondered it. She sat with it. She allowed the weight and beauty of it all to settle deep within her.
We don’t often give ourselves permission to be still. Our lives are full of schedules, expectations, and distractions. Even Christmas can become noisy. Yet Christmas Eve gently calls us back—to quiet reflection, to gratitude, to awe.
Tonight, may we rest in the truth that the Savior has come. May we set aside the noise and sit in the peace He brings. And may we carry that holy stillness with us—not just tonight, but into the days ahead.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

Joy To The World

 

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music.
- Psalm 98:4 (NIV)
 
Joy is a word we use often, but don’t always fully experience.
Joy to the World is bold and declarative. It doesn’t suggest joy—it announces it. The song doesn’t wait for conditions to improve or for life to feel easy. It declares joy because the Lord has come.
The Chris Tomlin version of Joy to the World adds a chorus that feels especially powerful:
Joy, unspeakable joy, And overflowing where no tongue can tell
Joy, unspeakable joy, Rises in my soul, never lets me go.
That phrase captures something we struggle to put into words—a joy that doesn’t depend on what’s happening around us, but on who Jesus is.
This kind of joy isn’t loud happiness or constant smiles. It’s deeper than that. It’s the steady confidence that God is at work, even when life feels uncertain. It’s joy that holds space for grief, stress, and unanswered prayers, while still anchoring us in hope.
So often we wait to feel joyful once everything is resolved—once the problem is fixed, the season passes, or the burden lifts. But Christmas reminds us that joy entered the world in the middle of mess, not after it was cleaned up.
Jesus didn’t arrive to a peaceful world. He arrived to a broken one. And still—joy.
We must allow ourselves to receive this unspeakable joy. Not because everything is perfect, but because the Savior has come. A joy that strengthens us, carries us, and reminds us that God is near.
Let heaven and nature sing—not just in song, but in hearts that choose joy, even now.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

Angels We Have Heard On High

 

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
- Luke 2:10-11 (NIV)
 
Sometimes joy simply can’t be contained. Angels We Have Heard on High captures that kind of joy—the kind that spills over, that demands to be shared, that echoes far beyond where it started. The angels didn’t whisper their message. They rejoiced. They proclaimed. They celebrated the arrival of the Savior with unrestrained praise.
What’s striking is that this joy wasn’t reserved for a select few. The announcement wasn’t made in a palace or a temple, but out in the open, to shepherds in the fields. The message was meant to be heard, carried, and shared.
Joy is contagious.
When we experience true joy—the kind rooted in hope and redemption—it changes how we move through the world. It lifts our eyes. It softens our hearts. It reminds us that God is still at work, even when life feels heavy.
Sometimes we treat joy like a fragile thing, something that might disappear if we hold it too loosely. But this hymn reminds us that joy grows when it’s expressed. Praise has a way of multiplying what God has already placed within us.
Let's celebrate, not quietly, but boldly. Let's join the song of heaven in our own imperfect ways, sharing joy, extending hope, and pointing others toward the reason for our praise.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

O Little Town Of Bethlehem

 

Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are too little to be among the family groups of Judah. But from you One will come who will rule for Me in Israel. His coming was planned long ago, from the beginning.
- Micah 5:2 (NLV)
 
There’s something special about traveling through quaint little towns, the kind you might pass through on a road trip—where time seems to slow down, the streets are quieter, and life feels a little less rushed. You don’t usually plan to stay long, but something about the simplicity makes you pay attention.
Bethlehem was that kind of place - it wasn’t a destination people talked about or a city that drew attention to itself. Yet it became the place where heaven touched earth. God chose a town most people would pass right by to introduce the most important moment in history.
O Little Town of Bethlehem reminds us that God’s greatest work doesn’t always happen where we expect it. Sometimes it happens while we’re on the move, in seasons of transition, or in places we never planned to linger.
Travel changes our perspective. It pulls us out of routine and invites us to notice things we’d normally miss. In the same way, God often meets us when we’re in between—between plans, between seasons, between what was and what’s coming next.
As Mary and Joseph traveled, they couldn’t have known how significant that journey would be. They were simply being faithful with the next step in front of them. And in that obedience, God unfolded a miracle.
As we continue toward Christmas, may we stay open to the places God leads us—even if they aren’t on our original map. May we trust that every step, every stop, and every detour can be part of His greater plan.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
- Luke 2:13-14 (NKJV)
 
There are moments in Scripture where heaven simply cannot stay quiet.
The night Jesus was born was not silent for long. What began in obscurity—shepherds watching their flocks, a newborn lying in a manger—suddenly erupted into praise. Heaven broke through the darkness, and the message was clear: This changes everything.
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is not a gentle invitation. It is a proclamation. It calls us to stop, to listen, to pay attention. Something extraordinary has happened, and the heavens themselves are declaring it.
The angels did not announce political power or military strength. They announced glory and peace. They sang of reconciliation between God and humanity, of hope restored, of a Savior who had come not to condemn the world but to redeem it.
What’s beautiful is who received the announcement: Not kings or scholars and not the powerful.
Shepherds - ordinary people doing ordinary work on an ordinary night—until God interrupted it with extraordinary news. That tells us something about the heart of God. His good news is not reserved for the elite or the polished. It is for the humble, the overlooked, and the willing to listen.
Sometimes our lives are noisy. Our hearts are busy. We rush past moments where God is speaking because we’re focused on what’s right in front of us. This hymn invites us to pause and hark—to listen closely for the voice of God breaking into our everyday routines.
As we continue our journey toward the manger, may we tune our hearts to heaven’s song. May we recognize God’s glory not only in grand moments, but in quiet nights, simple lives, and unexpected places.
And when we hear Him—may our response be praise.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

Away In A Manger

 

She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
— Luke 2:7 (NLT)
 
There is something tender and almost painfully gentle about Away in a Manger. No fanfare, no palace, no room at the inn.
The Savior of the world entered humanity not with noise or power, but with humility. A feeding trough became His first bed. Strips of cloth replaced royal robes. Heaven touched earth in the quietest way imaginable.
It’s easy to overlook the simplicity of this moment because we know how the story ends. But at the beginning, there was nothing impressive about it—at least not by the world’s standards. And maybe that’s the point.
Jesus did not come to overwhelm us. He came to draw near.
In a world that constantly tells us we need more—more success, more recognition, more perfection—Away in a Manger reminds us that God often works through the small, the overlooked, and the ordinary.
Maybe your life feels a bit like that manger right now—crowded, messy, or unprepared. Maybe there’s no room, no quiet, no sense that you have it all together. And yet, that is exactly where Jesus chooses to come.
The manger reminds us that God is not waiting for perfection. He is looking for willingness. He meets us right where we are and brings His presence into our imperfect spaces.
This year, let's make room—not in polished appearances or perfect plans—but in humble, open hearts ready to receive Him.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

 

For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.
— Luke 2:30–32 (NIV)
 
There is something deeply human about waiting with expectation.
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus was written as a prayer—one that echoes centuries of hope, longing, and trust. It reminds us that the story of Christmas did not begin in a stable, but in promises whispered and carried forward by faithful hearts.
Simeon knew waiting.
Scripture tells us he was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel. Day after day, year after year, he waited—not knowing when, only trusting who. And then one ordinary day, God fulfilled a lifetime of promise in his arms.
When Simeon looked at Jesus, he did not see a baby bound by human limitations. He saw salvation. He saw light. He saw the fulfillment of everything God had promised.
Waiting does not mean God is late.
Sometimes it means God is working far beyond what we can see. Sometimes it means the promise is growing deeper roots before it is revealed. And sometimes, like Simeon, we are invited to recognize the miracle in the ordinary moment.
This hymn reminds us that Jesus did not come only to meet expectations—He came to exceed them. He came not just for one people, but for all nations. Not just to rescue, but to illuminate. Not just to arrive, but to redeem.
Starting today, may we learn to wait with trust, to recognize God’s timing, and to rejoice when His promises unfold—often in ways far greater than we imagined.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

 

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
— Isaiah 7:14 (NKJV)
 
For centuries, God’s people waited.
They waited through silence, through uncertainty, through generations that passed without seeing the promise fulfilled. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel gives voice to that longing — the quiet ache of hearts crying out, Come. Stay. Rescue us. Be near.
The name Immanuel appears in Scripture, spoken as a promise long before its fulfillment. It comes from the Hebrew and means “God with us.” Not a distant God. Not a God who watches from afar. A God who steps into human flesh and chooses to dwell among His people.
In the hymn, we sing the name Emmanuel—the same name, expressed through centuries of worship and tradition. Different spelling, same truth. The promise spoken in prophecy becomes the promise sung by believers across generations: God is with us.
Waiting is rarely comfortable. We live in a world that demands instant answers and quick solutions, yet Advent reminds us that waiting is often where faith is strengthened. It is in the waiting that hope takes root. It is in the quiet that God is still working, even when we cannot see it.
Maybe you’re in a season of waiting right now—waiting for healing, for peace, for clarity, for restoration. This hymn reminds us that God’s promise does not expire. What He has spoken, He will fulfill. Immanuel has come… and Emmanuel is still with us today.
Today we have 10 days before Christmas.  As we begin this journey toward the manger, may we slow our hearts, remember the waiting, and rejoice—not only because Christ came into the world, but because He continues to come near to us, right where we are.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

learning to be loved

 
We love because he first loved us.
- 1 John 4:19 (NIVUK)
 
As this week wraps up, I find myself coming back to one simple but not-so-easy truth:
Before we can truly love the way God calls us to love… we have to first learn how to receive His love.
Frances Chan teaches in his book Beloved that allowing ourselves to be loved by God means abandoning the need to prove our worth and instead resting in the secure, unchanging love He already has for us, a transformation that brings freedom and changes everything.
And honestly… that rings so true.
We’re really good at doing.
We’re pretty good at giving.
We’re even decent at serving.
But being still long enough to believe that we are fully loved—right where we are? That’s tough.
So many of us walk around carrying quiet shame and quiet regrets, the quiet reminders of all the ways we think we’ve failed.
We know God loves the world…
We just struggle to believe He loves us with that same depth and tenderness.
But Scripture is clear:
We don’t love God first.
He loved us first.
Before we cleaned up.
Before we figured things out.
Before we got it together.
Christmas proves that God didn’t wait for us to become worthy—He came because we weren’t.
And the truth is this:
Until we fully receive the love of God, we will always struggle to give the love of God.
Because you can’t pour out what you refuse to believe you truly have.
When we live loved, we love differently.
We forgive more freely.
We give more generously.
We judge less harshly.
We show up more consistently.
Love stops feeling like pressure… and starts feeling like overflow.
So today, maybe the bravest prayer isn’t “Lord, help me love better.”
Maybe it’s simply:
“Lord, help me believe that I am deeply, completely, and unconditionally loved.”
Because once that settles into your heart—
Everything else begins to change.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

not just for you

 
By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
- John 13:35 (NIV)
 
One of the things that stood out to me so strongly in church this week was this reminder:
God’s love is for you… but it was never meant to stop with you.
“By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
Everyone.
Not just the people who look like us.
Not just the people who think like us.
Not just the people who are easy to love.
Everyone.
It’s such a simple verse, but it carries such a big responsibility. The way we love is meant to be a living, breathing testimony of Jesus to the world around us. Not our church attendance. Not our Bible knowledge. Not the Christian quotes we share online. Our love.
And let’s be real… loving people is not always easy.
Some people push our buttons or hurt us deeply.
Some people live in ways we don’t understand or agree with.
Some people carry labels that make it easier to judge them than to love them.
But God didn’t put conditions on John 3:16 either, did He?
God so loved the world.
Not the perfect.
Not the cleaned-up.
Not the already-holy.
The world.
We are not just here to be saved.
We are not just here to be healed.
We are not just here to sit comfortably in our faith.
We are here on purpose and on mission.
And sometimes the most powerful act of evangelism isn’t a sermon…
It’s patience.
It’s kindness.
It’s forgiveness.
It’s choosing not to keep score.
It’s loving when the world says someone is unlovable.
Something else that hit me hard this week was this truth:
My reaction to people could be the very thing that shifts the direction of their life.
That’s heavy… but it’s also holy.
So today, I’m asking myself some honest questions:
Who do I struggle to love?
Who do I silently judge?
Who do I avoid instead of engage?
And then I’m asking God to help me love anyway.
Because love isn’t just something we receive at Christmas—
It’s something we are called to release every single day.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

given

 
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)
 
One of the most challenging parts of yesterday’s message (John 3:16) for me was this simple truth:
love naturally wants to give… but humans naturally want to receive.
If we’re being honest, selfishness comes pretty easy to all of us. We want to be noticed and appreciated. We want to be loved, understood, valued, and affirmed. None of that is wrong—but Christmas reminds us that real love always moves outward, not inward.
“Love is patient, love is kind…”
We hear these verses at weddings all the time. They sound beautiful. But in church this week, the pastor challenged us to read this passage a little differently—by replacing the word "love" with "Jesus".
Jesus is patient.
Jesus is kind.
Jesus does not envy.
Jesus is not easily angered.
Jesus keeps no record of wrongs.
Every single line fits Him perfectly.
Then came the harder challenge… to replace the word love with your own name.
Oof.
How accurate was that for you?
Because if we call ourselves Christians—if we truly mean “Christ-like”—then His love becomes the standard we are training for.
And I loved this distinction:
“I’m not trying… I’m training.”
Trying leaves room for quitting.
Training requires repetition, discipline, and intentional effort over time.
We don’t accidentally become more loving.
We don’t naturally default to kindness.
We don’t drift into patience.
We train for it.
And that training almost always shows up in the way we give:
Giving grace instead of snapping back
Giving time instead of excuses
Giving forgiveness instead of bitterness
Giving encouragement instead of criticism
Every time we choose to give instead of take, we look a little more like Jesus.
Christmas itself is proof of this truth. God didn’t seek something from us—He gave something to us. Love didn’t come demanding… it came offering.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

unearned

 
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
- John 3:16 (NIV)
 
This week, I attended a new church, and the sermon touched me so deeply that I wanted to carry part of it into this week’s “daily bread” as we continue in this Christmas season, so here we go!
Have you ever noticed how deeply wired we are to earn things?
We earn paychecks, trust, respect.
We even feel like we have to earn love.
From a young age, we are taught that good behavior gets rewarded and bad behavior gets consequences. That thinking sneaks its way into our relationship with God, too—sometimes without us even realizing it. We start to believe that if we “do enough,” if we pray more, read more, mess up less… then God will love us more.
But Christmas tells a completely different story.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…”
Because God loved, God gave.
There is nothing in that verse that says we deserved it or that we earned it.
Nothing that says we worked our way into His love.
He loved first. And He gave because of that love.
In church, the pastor described God’s love like a wave pool, not an endless pool. An endless pool requires constant effort—constant swimming just to stay in place. But a wave pool? You can rest and still be carried. God’s love doesn’t require you to keep fighting to stay afloat. It comes to you. Again and again. Steady. Constant.
And here’s the part that really gets me…
God loves you the same whether you feel like a “perfect Christian” or a total hot mess. His love does not rise and fall with your performance. It doesn’t fluctuate with your bad days, your doubts, your mess-ups, or your fears.
Jesus is the visible picture of God’s invisible love.
The manger was love wrapped in flesh.
The cross was love poured out completely.
You don’t have to earn that.
You just have to receive it.
And that, honestly, might be one of the hardest things we ever do.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

still thankful

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
- Colossians 3:17 (NIV)
 
November is set aside as the month for giving thanks… but thankfulness should not stop in November.
In the past, many of my Facebook friends (myself included) have participated in the tradition of “30 Days of Thankful,” where you post one thing every day for the entire month of November that you are specifically thankful for. It’s always pretty cool to see what people share.
Over the years, during Thanksgiving dinners at my house, we’ve gone around the table and said what we were thankful for—sometimes even putting a twist on it by going through the alphabet. (And let me just say… how many things are you grateful for that start with the letter X?!)
All in all, we should be thankful every day.
For everything.
And we should give thanks to God for each and every possible thing in our lives—no matter how big or how small.
I once saw a sign that said, “What if we woke up today with only the things we thanked God for yesterday?”
That one stopped me in my tracks.
Thankfulness has a way of shifting our perspective. It reminds us that even in the middle of busy schedules, financial stress, grief, exhaustion, and uncertainty—God is still moving, still providing, still faithful. Some days gratitude flows easily. Other days, we have to look a little harder for it. But when we choose gratitude, it softens our hearts and steadies our spirits.
I am thankful for so much.
And today, I am especially thankful for the words God gives me to share with others in this space—whether you are reading this through email or on my blog. You are part of my gratitude story.
Let thankfulness be something that carries us through December, through Christmas, and into every season that follows.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

more than wrapped packages

 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

- 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NKJV)
 
Do you remember the best gift that you ever received?
If you ask a child, they might tell you the latest gift that every kid wants.
If you ask a teenager, they might talk about the hottest new phone.
If you ask a young adult, they might mention a car or a job.
If you ask a middle-aged person, they might say their family.
If you ask an elderly person, you might hear about how blessed they were throughout their lifetime.
It’s funny how that answer changes as we grow, isn’t it?
The best gift any one of us has ever received, though, is Jesus.
We spend so much time this season thinking about gifts—buying them, wrapping them, worrying if they’re enough, wondering if we chose the “right” thing. But the greatest gift was never meant to fit inside a box. God didn’t just give us something… He gave us Himself.
And because He gave so freely, we are invited to give the same way. Not out of pressure. Not out of obligation. But out of joy. Out of love. Out of gratitude.
Sometimes our most meaningful gifts won’t be found under the tree. They will be found in our kindness, our generosity, our forgiveness, our time, and our compassion. When we give from the heart, we reflect the heart of the Giver.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

a season of patience?

 

Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and prayerful always.
- Romans 12:12 (TLB)
 
If I’m being honest, I have zero patience for just about anything. Add in packed stores, packed schedules, constant noise, and endless decision-making—and my emotions run on high. That combination leads to a lot of tears… and more than a few breakdowns.
And layered on top of all of that, today marks four years since my mom passed away. Sometimes it isn’t the big moments that knock the wind out of me—it’s the tiniest memory. A smell. A song. A random thought. And suddenly, out of nowhere, a flood of sadness hits with no warning.
This season calls us to patience, but patience doesn’t mean we don’t feel deeply. It means we bring those feelings to God instead of letting them crush us. Scripture doesn’t say, “Rejoice because everything is easy.” It says to rejoice in hope, to be patient in tribulation, and to stay steadfast in prayer.
That tells me God already knows this season is hard sometimes. He knows grief doesn’t take a holiday. He knows the chaos feels overwhelming. And He invites us—not to fake being okay—but to stay connected to Him through it all.
God knows how heavy this season can feel, not just for me, but for a lot of people. We have to ask Him for patience when emotions run high, comfort when grief sneaks in, and peace in the middle of the chaos. Maybe patience this season looks like giving ourselves permission to pause. To breathe. To cry. To pray. To remember. And to trust that God is still holding all the tender pieces of our hearts.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

preparing for the hoildays

 
Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
- Luke 1:38 (NKJV)
 
We are definitely in full preparation mode this time of year. We might go a little crazy decorating—the inflatables alone are kind of over the top with a 20-foot snowman, a 20-foot Santa, a 10-foot Christmas tree, a talking, singing, joke-telling snowman head, and lights all over the house. It’s a lot… and I love it.
But if no other decorations go up, there are two things that will always find a place: my willow tree in memory of my dad, and the nativity scene.
Those two things say everything about what this season really means to me—remembrance and Jesus.
Mary’s words in this verse always stop me in my tracks: “Let it be to me according to Your word.” She didn’t have a perfectly decorated home or a neatly wrapped plan. What she had was a willing heart. A heart that said yes to God even when the future looked uncertain and overwhelming.
We can prepare every inch of our homes and still forget to prepare our hearts. We can hang the lights, wrap the gifts, fill the calendar—and still miss making room for peace, humility, surrender, and worship.
Let's stop and ask God to help us prepare our hearts for Him above everything else this season. Let our "yes" be genuine, our focus be right, and our hearts be ready. What if our greatest preparation this season isn’t what goes on the outside of our homes… but what we allow God to do on the inside of our hearts?
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

waiting with expectation

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)
 
There is something about this season of waiting that feels different than any other kind of waiting. We wait for packages to arrive, for travel plans to fall into place, for family to gather—but Advent reminds us that God’s people waited for something far greater. They waited for a Savior.
I think about how impatient I can be with the everyday stuff. Traffic lights feel too slow, checkout lines feel too long, and unanswered prayers feel unbearable at times. And yet, God works beautifully in the waiting. The world waited centuries for Jesus, and God’s timing was perfect.
Advent isn’t just about counting down to Christmas—it’s about training our hearts to wait with hope instead of frustration. Let's pray daily asking God to help us slow down and trust Him in the waiting. We need Him to teach us to wait with hope, not impatience. If God kept His promise then, He will keep His promise now.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible