05-Jun-Featured-devotionals-2023 YMI

Not Condemned

I’ve recently become familiar with the growing popularity of the concept of “self-compassion”—accepting ourselves as we are and giving ourselves the compassion and grace to heal and grow, no matter how long that takes.

ODB: Texts, Troubles, and Triumphs

Jimmy hadn’t allowed the reality of social unrest, danger, and discomfort to keep him from traveling to one of the poorest countries in the world to encourage ministry couples. The steady stream of text messages to our team back home revealed the challenges he encountered.
04-Jun-Featured-devotionals-2023 YMI

My Greatest Enemy

A Christian leader was once asked: “Who is your greatest enemy?” He replied, “Every morning I see him in the mirror.” Perhaps that’s the real reason why some of us are facing challenges in our marriage, school, work, or church.

ODB: It’s Empty Now

My brothers and our families spent the day moving our parents’ belongings from our childhood home. Late in the afternoon, we went back for one last pickup and, knowing this would be our final time in our family home, posed for a picture on the back porch.
03-Jun-Featured-devotionals-2023 YMI

Cravings

For our family, vacations are treasured getaways from the demands of regular life. We enjoy visiting a variety of places, but one particular theme park has been a staple. Not wanting to exhaust our children when they were little, we limited our visits to one-day passes.

ODB: Freeing Obedience

The look on the young teen’s face reflected angst and shame. Heading into the 2022 Winter Olympics, her success as a figure skater was unparalleled—a string of championships had made her a lock to win a gold medal.

ODB: God’s Garden

A reminder of the beauty and brevity of life grows outside my front door. Last spring, my wife planted moonflower vines, so named because of their large and round white blooms that resemble a full moon.

ODB: Leap of Faith

As I prepared to ride a zip line from the highest point of a rainforest on the Caribbean Island of St. Lucia, fear welled up inside me. Seconds before I jumped from the platform, thoughts of everything that could go wrong filled my mind.

ODB: Our Place of Safety

Retired teacher Debbie Stephens Browder is on a mission to convince as many people as possible to plant trees. The reason? Heat. Extreme heat in the United States is the number one weather-related cause of death.