Tag: #SacredJourneyDevotionalBlog #RevMarciaDavis

Day 250 of 365: Anxiety vs God…

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Scripture: Philippians 4:6–7

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God…”

Today, I found myself wrestling with a passage of Scripture that I have read, quoted, prayed, and encouraged others with many times: “Be anxious for nothing.”

Those words can feel very different when you are the one experiencing anxiety.

What happens when we love God, trust God, pray to God and still find ourselves anxious?

What happens when our minds know the promises of God, but our bodies still respond with fear?

For some of us, anxiety does not always arrive announcing its name. Sometimes it disguises itself as overthinking. Sometimes it looks like avoidance. Sometimes it sounds like an endless stream of “What ifs?” Sometimes it appears as a need to control every possible outcome before taking the next step.

And sometimes we do not recognize how much anxiety has affected our lives until we begin healing enough to see it.

That realization can be humbling. It can also create a spiritual conflict.

If the Word of God tells me to “be anxious for nothing,” yet I experience anxiety, am I contradicting God’s Word?

Am I failing in my faith? Do I simply need to pray harder?

Precious Family, perhaps we need to keep reading.

Paul does not merely tell us what NOT to do. He tells us where to take what troubles us:

“…but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

Perhaps “be anxious for nothing” was never intended to become another burden we carry.

Perhaps it is an invitation. Bring it here.

Bring the fear. Bring the trembling. Bring the questions. Bring the thoughts you cannot seem to quiet. Bring the situation you cannot control. Bring the part of you that knows God is faithful and the part of you that is still afraid. Bring everything.

I am reminded of David’s words:

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.”   Psalm 56:3

Notice what David did not say.

He did not say, “Because I trust God, I am never afraid.”

He said, “When I am afraid…”

Fear was present.  And so was faith.

Maybe we have sometimes defined faith as the absence of fear when faith can also be the decision to turn toward God while we are afraid.

Even Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, did not hide His anguish from the Father. He brought it into prayer.

So perhaps our anxious moments are not necessarily evidence that God is disappointed with us.

Perhaps they can become invitations to encounter Him.

Healing may also require us to learn the difference between fear that needs to be gently challenged and limitations that need to be respected. Sometimes courage means taking another step. Sometimes courage means asking for help. Sometimes courage means acknowledging, “This is what I can safely do today.”

None of those moments require us to hide from God.

Tonight, I am learning something that I wish I had understood more deeply before:

I do not have to become peaceful before I come to the Prince of Peace.

I can come anxious.

I can come uncertain.

I can come shaking.

I can come without the right words.

I can even come quietly.

Because prayer is not where perfect people report that they have successfully conquered their emotions.

Prayer is where God’s children bring Him what is actually happening inside of them.

And then, notice the promise that follows:

“…and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

The passage begins with anxiety.  It moves through prayer. And it leads us toward peace.

Maybe that is the journey.

Not pretending anxiety never came, but learning where to take it when it does.

Sacred Reflection

Precious Family, is there something you have been afraid to bring before God because you thought you should already have enough faith to overcome it?

What if tonight you stopped trying to present God with the version of yourself you think He expects and simply brought Him the heart you actually have?

                     Let Us Pray Together   

Abba,

Here I am.

Not the version of me that has everything figured out.

Not the version that never becomes afraid.

Not the version that always knows exactly what to say.

Just me.

When anxiety rises within me, teach me not to condemn myself for feeling it. Help me recognize its voice without allowing it to become louder than Yours.

Give me wisdom to know when fear is asking me to retreat from something You are helping me face, and when my body is simply telling me that I need help, rest, or another way forward.

When I am afraid, teach me to trust You.

When I cannot find the words, receive my silence.

When my thoughts are racing, guard my mind.

When my body is unsettled, remind me that Your presence has not left me.

Abba, I bring You everything—the fear, the questions, the uncertainty, the progress, and even the parts of myself I am only now beginning to understand.

I do not have to become peaceful before coming to You.

I come to You because You are my Peace.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

Precious Family, wherever you are on your journey tonight, remember:

Fear may be present, and faith can still be present too.

When you are afraid, turn toward the One who has promised to guard your heart and your mind.

One prayer. One breath. One step at a time.

Until we meet again on this Sacred Journey

May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Rev. Marcia Davis

Covington, GA (USA)

Worship Song of the Day

Day 256 of 365: When I Have No Words for God…

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for…” — Romans 8:26

I have been unusually quiet with God.

That is difficult for me to admit.

I am accustomed to praying. I am accustomed to finding something to say. Even during difficult seasons, eventually I can usually gather my thoughts, sit before God, and find words for what is happening inside me.

But lately, the words have not come.

If I am completely honest, somewhere underneath my silence has been a question:

Abba, why am I going through this?

I don’t ask that question disrespectfully.

I ask it tired.

I ask it after pain, hospitalization, procedures, uncertainty, and learning that there are still more tests and another procedure ahead.

And perhaps what has surprised me most is that I haven’t felt compelled to fill the silence with beautiful spiritual language.

I have simply been quiet.

Precious Family, maybe somebody walking this Journey with me needs permission to know that silence before God is not necessarily absence from God.

Sometimes we don’t have a testimony yet.

Sometimes we don’t have an explanation.

Sometimes we don’t even have a prayer.

We simply have our presence.

And perhaps that is why Romans tells us that when we do not know what to pray, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

God does not require me to manufacture words so that He will remain near.

He already knows.

He knows the questions I haven’t asked aloud.

He knows the disappointment underneath my silence.

He knows the fear I don’t want to entertain.

He knows that I love Him even while I struggle to understand what He has allowed me to walk through.

And tonight, I am beginning to understand something:

My silence can still be prayer.

Perhaps faith is not always saying, “I understand what God is doing.”

Perhaps sometimes faith simply whispers,

“Abba, I don’t understand. But I’m still here.”

And maybe that is enough for tonight.

Precious Family, if you have found yourself unusually quiet with God, please don’t mistake your silence for failure.

Sit with Him.

Cry with Him.

Question Him.

Or simply breathe.

You don’t have to perform in His presence.

You don’t have to turn your pain into a lesson before you’re ready.

You don’t have to know how the story ends before you rest in the arms of the One who remains with you in the middle of it.

This is A Journey to Wholeness.

And tonight, my journey doesn’t come with many words.

Just one small prayer:

Abba, stay close while I take the next step.

Prayer

Abba,

Tonight I don’t have many words.

There are things I don’t understand, and I will not pretend that I do.

You know my questions before I speak them.
You know my disappointment.
You know my weariness.
You know my fear.
And You know that underneath all of it, I still love You.

So I will not force a prayer tonight.

I will simply sit here with You.

When I cannot speak, let Your Spirit pray within me.

When I cannot understand, hold me.

When I cannot see very far ahead, give me enough light for the next step.

And Abba…

Stay close while I take it.

In the name of Jesus,

Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

Covington, GA (USA)

Day 221 of 365: Teach Us to Number Our Days…

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, lately I have been thinking about time.

I have found myself looking at my days and wondering if I am using them wisely. There are things I want to accomplish. Gifts God has given me that I want to use. People I want to serve. Responsibilities that must be fulfilled. And above all, I want my life to bring glory to God.

Each morning that we open our eyes is a gift.

It is another day that God has graciously placed into our hands.

But somewhere along the way, I began to wonder if using my days wisely meant somehow finding a way to do more with them.

Then I remembered the words of Psalm 90:12:

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

Family, notice what the Scripture asks God to give us.

Wisdom.

Perhaps numbering our days isn’t about seeing how much activity we can fit into twenty-four hours.

Perhaps it is about asking God for the wisdom to know what belongs within them.

There are only twenty-four hours in a day. God knows that because He created the day. He also created us.

He knows that we need time to work.

Time to serve.

Time to love.

Time to worship.

Time to create.

Time to laugh.

Time to simply be still.

And yes, Precious Family, He knows that these bodies He created also need time to rest.

1st Peter 4:10 reminds us that each of us has received gifts that we are called to use in service to others as faithful stewards of God’s grace.

I want to use every gift God has placed within me.

But I am beginning to understand something.

I am not only a steward of my gifts. I am also a steward of the vessel carrying them.

What good is having a gift if I continually exhaust the person God entrusted to carry it?

What good is filling every available hour if I become so tired that I cannot be fully present for the very assignments God has given me?

Maybe redeeming the time does not always mean doing more.

Maybe sometimes it means doing what God has given us to do and then having the wisdom to say: “That is enough for today.”

There will always be something else that could be done.

Another task.

Another email.

Another load of laundry.

Another project.

Another person who needs something.

Another goal waiting for our attention.

But eventually, today must come to an end.

And ending the day does not mean we have failed to use it well.

Sometimes going to bed is stewardship.

Sometimes putting something down until tomorrow is wisdom.

Sometimes rest is how we prepare ourselves to faithfully carry tomorrow’s assignment.

Family, perhaps the question we should ask each morning is not simply:

“What do I need to accomplish today?”

Perhaps we should ask:

“Abba, what have You placed in my hands today?”

And throughout the day:

“Give me wisdom to know what deserves my yes.”

Then, when evening comes:

“Give me peace to know when I have done enough.”

Because a life lived for the glory of God is not measured by how exhausted we are when we finally collapse into bed.

It is measured by faithfulness.

Faithfulness with our time.

Faithfulness with our gifts.

Faithfulness with our responsibilities.

Faithfulness with our bodies.

Faithfulness with our relationships.

Faithfulness with our rest.

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

Abba, teach us.

Teach us how to live the days You have given us.

Teach us how to use the gifts You have placed within us.

Teach us when to work and when to rest.

Teach us when to say yes and when to say, “Enough for today.”

And when this day is over, may we be able to lay our heads down in peace knowing:

I gave God what belonged to Him today.

And if He graciously gives us tomorrow, we will rise and offer Him that day too.

Let Us Pray



Abba,

Thank You for today.

Before I accomplished anything, before I served anyone, before I checked one thing off my list, You gave me the precious gift of opening my eyes and seeing another day.

Thank You.

Father, teach me to number my days.

Teach me to remember that my time belongs to You. My gifts belong to You. My talents belong to You. My calling belongs to You. Even this body that carries me from assignment to assignment belongs to You.

I want to be a faithful steward of all that You have placed in my hands.

But Abba, please teach me that faithfulness does not always mean doing more.

Give me wisdom to know what deserves my yes today.

Give me discernment to recognize what can wait until tomorrow.

Give me courage to put something down when You say, “That is enough.”

And please, Father, free me from the guilt that sometimes comes when my body needs to rest.

Remind me that I am not only a steward of the gifts You have placed within me; I am also a steward of the vessel You have chosen to carry them.

So teach me how to care for both.

When it is time to work, help me work faithfully.

When it is time to serve, help me serve lovingly.

When it is time to create, let me create from the gifts You have placed within me.

When it is time to worship, let everything else become quiet so that my heart can turn completely toward You.

And when it is time to rest, Abba, teach me to rest without guilt.

At the end of each day, help me resist the temptation to measure my worth by everything I finished.

Instead, let me ask one simple question:

“Abba, was I faithful with what You placed in my hands today?”

And when I have done what You asked of me, quiet my heart.

Turn off the noise.

Settle my thoughts.

And whisper to Your daughter,

“Enough for today. Come and rest.”

Then, Father, if You graciously awaken me tomorrow morning, I will receive another day from Your hands.

Another opportunity to love.

Another opportunity to serve.

Another opportunity to use my gifts.

Another opportunity to glorify You.

One day at a time, Abba.

Teach me to live them well.

Teach me to number my days.

And when all the days You have appointed for me have been lived, may they tell one beautiful story:

She was faithful.

In the precious name of Christ Jesus, Amen, Amen, Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

✨ Come Jesus Come (Acoustuc & Vocals Only) | Stephen McWhirter – Easter Worship Song

Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

Covington, GA (USA)

Days 212 to 215 of 365: One Step Toward Wholeness

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To Wholeness4 Comments

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, have you ever noticed how easy it is to become focused on the destination?

We tell ourselves, “When I get there, I’ll have peace. When I overcome this, I’ll finally be whole. When life settles down, then I’ll begin living.”

But life with God rarely unfolds that way.

As I spent time with the Lord, I was reminded of something so simple, yet so profound:

A journey doesn’t begin with a destination. It begins with one step. Sometimes a very small one.

Many of us are waiting until we feel strong enough, brave enough, healed enough, or confident enough before we move forward.
Yet God so often meets us before any of those things happen.

He meets us in the first step.
He meets us when our knees are shaking.
He meets us when our prayers are only a whisper.

He meets us when all we can manage is to say, “Lord, help me.”

Perhaps that is why Scripture so often speaks about walking with God.

One step. Then another.

Our journey to wholeness is not measured by how quickly we arrive. It is measured by our willingness to keep walking with the One who never leaves our side.

Family, don’t become discouraged if your progress feels small. Small steps are still steps.

One act of obedience.
One prayer.
One moment of choosing faith over fear.
One decision to trust God again.

Each one is part of the beautiful work He is doing within us.

Wholeness is not created in a single moment. It is formed over time as we faithfully place one foot in front of the other and discover that God has been walking beside us all along.

So today, don’t ask yourself how you will finish the entire journey. Simply ask the Lord,

“What is my next step?“

Then trust Him enough to take it. He already knows the destination.

Let Us Pray

Abba,

Tonight we come to You just as we are.

Some of us are weary.
Some of us are afraid.
Some of us have become so accustomed to asking, “What if?” that we have forgotten what it feels like to simply rest.

Father, thank You for being our safe place.

Thank You that we never have to earn the privilege of coming into Your presence. We do not have to have all the answers. We do not have to have perfect faith. We do not have to stop our tears before You welcome us into Your arms.

Just as a loving father gathers his child close and quietly whispers, “I’ve got you,” You do the same for us.

When our hearts are overwhelmed, hold us a little tighter.

When our minds are filled with fear, remind us that we do not have to carry tomorrow today.

When our tears begin to fall, let us never be ashamed of them. Instead, let every tear become a reminder that we are safe enough to be completely honest with You.

Teach us to rest against Your heart until fear no longer has the loudest voice.

Replace the noise of anxiety with the quiet assurance of Your presence.

Replace our striving with Your peace.

Replace our “What ifs?” with the gentle reminder that You are already waiting in every tomorrow we will ever face.

And when it is time to move, give us the courage to take the next step—not because we are fearless, but because we know Who is walking beside us.

Thank You for being the Father whose arms are always open… the Father who never grows weary of holding His children… the Father whose love is steady, gentle, and unchanging.

Tonight, we choose to rest in that love.

In the precious and comforting name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen, Amen, and Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

Taken from the album “Decade”
Available on iTunes – https://itunes.apple.c…​
Subscribe to We Are Worship YouTube Channel –
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Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

Covington, GA (USA)

Day 207 of 365: Before I Am Anything Else…

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, over the past several weeks, I have found myself asking why my heart has felt different.

Nothing was necessarily wrong.

In many ways, life has been moving forward exactly as it should.

I am walking in the calling God prepared me for as a counselor. I am learning to stand on my own in ways I never imagined. Seasons have changed. Responsibilities have increased. More people depend on me than ever before.

Yet something felt as though it was missing.

Tonight, I finally realized what it was.

I wasn’t missing writing.

I wasn’t missing routine.

I wasn’t even missing ministry.

I was missing my conversations with Abba.

For me, those conversations often happen while I write.

The words slow my mind down.

The distractions begin to fade.

What started as a blank page quietly becomes a meeting place.

Somewhere between the first sentence and the last, I begin to hear Him again.

I think sometimes we become so busy doing the work God has called us to do that we forget to spend time with the One who called us.

There is nothing wrong with serving.

There is nothing wrong with working.

There is nothing wrong with carrying responsibility.

But even beautiful callings can become exhausting if we stop returning to the place where our souls are refreshed.

I have learned something else.

The devotionals were never just something I published.

They became a record of my walks with God.

Each page reminds me of what He was teaching me in that season.

Some entries were written through tears.

Some through laughter.

Some through uncertainty.

Some through overwhelming gratitude.

But every one of them reminds me that I never walked alone.

Perhaps today you have been feeling unsettled, and you can’t quite explain why.

Maybe, like me, you don’t need another task completed.

Maybe you simply miss the conversation.

The beautiful thing about our Heavenly Father is that He never asks us to make an appointment.

He simply invites us to come.

Family, tonight I am reminded that before I am anything else:

Before I am a counselor.

Before I am a minister.

Before I am a writer.

I am His daughter.

And somehow, that changes everything.

Prayer Time with Abba

Abba,

Before I ask You for wisdom.
Before I ask You for strength.
Before I ask You to bless the work of my hands.

I ask for something even greater.

How do I remain close to You while doing what You’ve called me to do?

Father, I never want my calling to become so busy that I lose sight of the One who called me.

Teach me to recognize Your voice above every deadline, every responsibility, every crisis, and every demand upon my time.

When my days are full, remind me that Your presence is not another appointment on my calendar. You are the reason I have breath to begin with.

Lord, when I become weary from carrying the burdens of others, lead me back beside still waters where You restore my soul. Remind me that I was never meant to carry what only You can hold.

Help me to serve without striving.
To lead without losing my humility.
To give without becoming empty.
To love without forgetting to receive Your love first.

When the world applauds my accomplishments, anchor me in the quiet assurance that my greatest identity is not what I do, but whose I am.

I am Your daughter.

When I sit down to write, may I never simply search for the right words. May I first seek Your heart.

When I counsel those who are hurting, let me remember that I cannot pour living water into another person’s life unless I have first knelt beside the well myself.

Guard my heart from becoming so productive that I neglect being present with You.

Teach me that intimacy with You is not a reward for finishing my work; it is the strength that allows me to begin it.

And if I ever find myself drifting into busyness instead of relationship, gently call me back, not with condemnation, but with the tenderness of a Father who simply misses His daughter.

Thank You for every season You have walked with me.

Thank You for every lesson You have patiently taught me.

Thank You for trusting me with these callings.

Above all, thank You for reminding me that before I am a counselor, before I am a writer, before I am a minister…

I am Yours.

So today, tomorrow, and every day that follows, let my greatest accomplishment never be what I achieve for You, but that I continue to walk faithfully with You.

In the precious and holy name of Christ Jesus, I pray. Amen, Amen, and Amen.

Family, tonight I was reminded that before I can faithfully walk in my calling, I must first faithfully follow the One who called me. Every other step begins there.

Video of the Day

Official lyric video for “I Have Decided To Follow Jesus” from CeCe Winans
Stream or download the song here: https://fts.lnk.to/The…​
Connect With CeCe:
Facebook:    / official.cece.winans  ​
Instagram:    / cecewinans  ​
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Website: https://cecewinans.com​

Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

Covington, GA (USA)

Day 197 – 199 of 365: Living Faithfully in the In-Between

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, please forgive my absence this week. My days have been incredibly long, and by the time I crawled into bed each night, I was simply exhausted.

Unfortunately, when I’m that tired, my brain is not functioning at its best for writing. I have finally been able to catch up on some much-needed rest, and now my thoughts are beginning to settle into place.

Family, as we continue talking about living faithfully in the in-between, we are talking about what happens inside the parentheses of our lives. These are the moments that often go unnoticed because they are neither the beginning nor the ending of the story. Yet it is often within those parentheses that God does some of His greatest work.

One thing I have learned recently is that just because something feels painful, uncomfortable, or unfamiliar does not automatically mean it is bad. Sometimes what feels like an ending is actually God making room for a new beginning.

As I sat quietly with the Lord, He gave me the image of an overcrowded flower pot.

At first glance, the flowers were beautiful. They had grown together, flourished together, and filled the pot with vibrant color. But as time passed, their roots began crying out for more room to grow.

If they remained together in that same pot, they would eventually begin competing for the same nutrients, the same water, and the same space. Even if they survived, they would only experience limited, stunted growth.

The only way for each plant to truly thrive was for the gardener to gently separate them and transplant them into new pots where each one would have room to continue growing.

Family, I realized something in that moment.

The separation wasn’t punishment.

The separation was preparation.

Sometimes God allows us to enter seasons that feel uncomfortable because He knows there is no more room for us to grow where we are. What feels like loss may actually be the loving hand of the Gardener making room for new life.

So today I want to leave you with a few questions to prayerfully consider.

Are you living the life God created you to live?

Have you become comfortable in a place that no longer has room for you to grow?

Are you limiting yourself because you are afraid to step into the season God has already ordained for you?

Right now we are in the heart of the summer season. Many of you who enjoy gardening are already thinking ahead. You’re choosing seeds, preparing the soil, and making plans for what you hope will grow in the months ahead.

Growth has never been accidental.

It requires preparation, patience, and sometimes even transplanting.

Perhaps that is exactly where some of us find ourselves today…living faithfully in the in-between, trusting that the Master Gardener knows exactly when it is time to make room for something new.

Take a deep breath. As you slowly exhale,  whisper the words, “I trust you, Lord.”

Remember, Family, you are never alone. Let’s go the Lord in prayer together.

Let Us Pray

Abba,

Today, we take a deep breath.

As we slowly exhale, we whisper the words, “I trust You, Lord.”

Not because we have all the answers.

Not because every question has been resolved.

Not because the road ahead is perfectly clear.

But because You are faithful.

When life asks us to leave what is familiar, help us remember that You are the Master Gardener. You know when our roots have outgrown the pot. You know when it is time to make room for new life. Even when the process feels uncomfortable, remind us that Your hands are always gentle and Your plans are always good.

Lord, teach us not to fear the in-between. Help us to see it as holy ground where our faith takes deeper root and our trust grows stronger. When we are tempted to hold tightly to yesterday, give us the courage to open our hands and receive what You have prepared for tomorrow.

For every heart that feels uprooted tonight, surround them with Your peace. For every soul waiting for answers, fill them with hope. For every person wondering if they have been forgotten, remind them that You never leave Your children unattended. The Gardener never abandons His garden.

So tonight, we choose to trust You.

When we understand… We trust You.
When we don’t understand… We trust You.
When doors close… We trust You.
When new doors begin to open… We trust You.
When we laugh… We trust You.
When we cry… We trust You.

And as we continue living faithfully in the in-between, may our lives bloom in ways that bring glory to You and remind the world that You are always working, even beneath the surface.

Together, we whisper one last time…
“I trust You, Lord.”

In the precious, loving, and faithful name of Jesus, we pray. Amen, Amen, and Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

Music video by Gaither performing Through It All (Lyric Video / Live At The Cove Billy Graham Training Center, Asheville, NC / 2001). © 2023 Gaither Music Group

http://vevo.ly/lajE4T

Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

Covington, GA (USA)

Days 195/196 of 365: Living Faithfully in the In-Between

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, I am beginning a new series this evening. The series is entitled, “Living Faithfully in the In-Between.”

If we’re honest, family, most of life isn’t lived at the beginning of a journey or at the end of it. Most of life is lived somewhere in the middle.

We find ourselves between prayers and answers. Between closed doors and new opportunities. Between tears and testimonies. Between letting go and learning to trust again.
It is in these in-between places that our faith quietly grows.

Just like the seeds we plant in the ground are not going to become towering trees overnight (unless your name happens to be Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk, of course) we cannot expect our own in-between seasons to be any different.

Before a seed ever breaks through the surface, so much has already taken place.
The soil has been broken apart.
A place has been prepared.
The seed has been carefully planted and covered.

Then comes the waiting.
The watering.
The sunshine.
The rain.
The quiet work that no one sees.

Some plants flourish in full sunlight. Others grow best in partial shade. Still others need protection from the intense heat of the day. Every plant has different needs, yet every healthy plant requires time to develop strong roots before anyone ever sees the first sign of life. Our lives are much the same.

God knows exactly how much sunlight our souls need. He knows when to send the rain, when to provide shade, and when to remove the weeds that threaten the growth He has planted within us.

What feels like waiting to us is often God cultivating us. Our in-between seasons are not empty seasons. They are growing seasons.

The in-between is not where God has forgotten us. It is often where He forms us.

Let Us Pray

Abba,

Thank You for reminding us that You are not only the God of beginnings and endings, but also the God of the in-between.

When we cannot yet see the harvest, help us to trust that You are still tending the garden of our hearts.

Thank You for every seed You have planted within us. Thank You for preparing the soil, watering our faith, and patiently caring for us even when we cannot see what is happening beneath the surface.

Forgive us for the times we have mistaken waiting for abandonment.

Forgive us for believing that silence meant You were no longer working.

Help us to remember that roots often grow long before fruit ever appears.

Teach us to embrace whatever season we are in.

If this is a season of bright sunshine, may we praise You with grateful hearts. If this is a season of gentle shade, may we rest in the shelter of Your presence. If this is a season of rain, remind us that every drop is nourishing something within us that will one day bring You glory.

Protect the seeds You have planted in us. Remove the weeds of fear, doubt, bitterness, and discouragement before they take root. Guard our hearts from anything that would steal the hope You have so lovingly placed within us.

Above all, Abba, help us to remain faithful in the in-between. When we are tempted to rush ahead, teach us to wait. When we grow weary, strengthen us. When we cannot see the path before us, remind us that Your hand has never let go of ours.

Thank You that You are always working, even when we cannot see it.

Thank You that every season has a purpose.

Thank You that our in-between seasons are not empty seasons, they are growing seasons.

We trust You with what is behind us, what is before us, and everything in between.

In the precious and faithful name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen, Amen, and Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

Music video by Sandi Patty performing In The In Between. (C) 2013
Gaither Music Group

Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

Covington, GA (USA)

Day 193/194 of 365: Peace, Like A River…

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, this evening, I was thinking about the peace I have this evening. No, not all of my questions have been answered. If I’m being honest, I probably have more questions than I did before. What I do have is a peace that surpasses all understanding.

The devotional this evening won’t be long. I just wanted to tell God, Thank You. No matter what I face, the Lord has been there at every single turn. I am forever grateful to have known and experienced such a great love.

The song that I am hearing is one that I have heard about three times this year. I can truly say that when I’m stressed out about something or worried, there is nothing more beautiful or precious than receiving God’s peace.

There is a reason I begin every devotional the way I do. There is no greater gift I can offer than the peace that comes from the Lord. So I will end this devotional the same way I began it: May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Let Us Pray

Abba,

Thank You for Your peace. I can always tell the moment I begin to let worry and fear take over, because my peace is no longer as strong. Then I take a step back and look at the situation. It is in those moments that I realize what is missing.

Your peace.

So I gently place my cares into Your hands, and my peace returns. Thank You for never leaving me, no matter what life may look like in the moment. Help me to remember that Your peace is not determined by my circumstances, but by Your presence.

Thank You for walking beside me through every season. When life is joyful, You rejoice with me. When life is uncertain, You steady my heart. And when life feels too heavy to carry, You lovingly remind me that I was never meant to carry it alone.

Thank You for being my peace, my refuge, and my constant companion.

In the precious name of Christ Jesus, I pray. Amen, Amen, and Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

The Peace of the Lord · Babbie Mason

Praise Celebration

℗ Word Entertainment LLC, a Curb Company

Released on: 1997-01-01

Artist: Babbie Mason

Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

Covington, GA (USA)

Day 191/192 of 365: Jesus Loves Me, This I Know…

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

This morning, as I was getting up and preparing to get ready for the day, the song “Jesus Loves Me” was playing in my mind. I could not figure out why I was hearing that song, especially since I wasn’t thinking about it. Then I realized it was for the devotional.

I asked the Holy Spirit why that song was playing in my head. The only response I received was, “Because they sometimes my children forget that I am strong and they are weak. They have forgotten how much I love them because they lost their childlike faith.

Somewhere along the journey, many of us exchanged childlike faith for adult-sized worry.

As children, we believed our Heavenly Father could do anything. We ran to Him with scraped knees, broken hearts, impossible dreams, and simple prayers. We trusted Him without needing every answer.

But life has a way of teaching us fear. Disappointments accumulate. Grief visits our homes. Relationships change. Bills arrive. Diagnoses come. Prayers seem delayed. Without realizing it, we stop resting in His love and begin carrying burdens He never asked us to carry.

Yet the message has never changed.

Jesus still loves us.

We are still weak.

He is still strong.

Family, when did you stop believing as freely as you did when you were a child? When did the questions of life become louder than the promises of God?

Maybe today God is inviting us to stop trying to be so strong. Perhaps He is inviting us to become His little children once again, not childish, but childlike.

To trust Him. To rest in Him. To believe that His love has never diminished, even when our faith has felt weary. The truth we learned as children is still true today.

Jesus loves me.
This I know.
For the Bible tells me so.

Let Us Pray

Abba,

Today we come before You not with polished words or perfect faith, but simply as Your children.

Somewhere along life’s journey, many of us have forgotten what we once knew so well. As children, we sang, “Jesus loves me,” without hesitation. We believed You could do anything. We trusted You with our whole hearts.

Then life happened.

Some of us have buried people we never wanted to say goodbye to. Some have watched dreams slip through their fingers. Some have endured broken relationships, unanswered prayers, unexpected diagnoses, financial struggles, and seasons that seemed far too long.

At times, our hearts have quietly asked, “Abba, if You really love me, why did this happen?”

Yet You have never stopped loving us.

When our faith became weary, Your faithfulness remained steadfast. When we were too weak to stand, You held us. When our questions were louder than our praise, You never turned away from us.

So today, Abba, bring us back to the simple faith we once had. Teach us to trust You again—not because we understand everything, but because we know Your heart. Help us remember that Your love is not measured by our circumstances but by the Cross, where Jesus gave everything for us.

When fear whispers louder than faith, remind us that we are Your beloved children.

When we feel weak, remind us that You are strong.

When we feel alone, remind us that You have promised to stay close beside us all the way.

And when life feels confusing, help us rest in the one truth that has never changed:

Jesus loves us.

May we leave this moment with childlike hearts once again, trusting the Father who has never stopped watching over us, never stopped holding us, and never stopped loving us.

We love You, Abba.

In the precious and holy name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen, Amen, and Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

Israel and New Breed featuring Joe L. Barnes

Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

Covington, GA (USA)

Day 189/190 of 365: Order My Steps, Lord

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To Wholeness2 Comments

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, have you heard the line from the song, “I Can See Clearly Now” that says, “I can see clearly now the rain is gone”? Sometimes our lives unfold just like those lyrics.

This week, I had to truly pause, pray, think, seek wise counsel, and then make my decision. I’m so grateful I didn’t rush or make a hasty decision.

At first, I became angry, so I came here to write. But as I began writing, I realized the answer hadn’t come yet. Instead of forcing a decision, I chose to wait.

Last night I remained still before the Lord, and this afternoon the answer finally came. I began contacting the right people, setting things into motion, and now my spirit is at peace.

Family, although I was initially upset, I knew I had to run to the Lord first. No matter what my feelings do, I always talk to God. I ask Him to order my steps and help me remain still so I don’t get ahead of Him.

Holy Scriptures

Psalm 37:23-24
New International Version

23 The Lord makes firm the steps
    of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,  for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

Proverbs 3:5-6
New International Version

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.

Family, as I reflected on everything that happened, I thought about all the different scenarios that could have unfolded had I not waited on God. Over the years, I have learned the hard way that acting while I am caught up in my feelings often leaves me cleaning up one mess after another. The chaos isn’t always caused by the situation itself, but by my response to it.

Feelings have their place, and at times they can be beautiful. They allow us to love deeply, celebrate joyfully, and grieve honestly. But there are also moments when our feelings can cloud our judgment and lead us in directions God never intended.

I have learned that it is far better to wait on God. His timing is never careless, His wisdom is never rushed, and His direction always brings a peace that my emotions alone can never provide.

So today, my prayer remains simple:

Lord, order my steps

Order My Steps by Godpel Music Workshop of America / Women of Worship