​It’s the darkest, most faith-dampening time of many Christian’s lives—when you’ve prayed for something for so long you become convinced that God isn’t hearing you, or worse, that He doesn’t care about your needs or situation. Maybe you’ve prayed for a child who’s in danger or has wandered off the path, or maybe you’re praying for an oppressive situation to be finally righted.

Whatever it is, when you storm the Gates of Heaven and don’t get an answer, it can be devastating to your faith. But let’s be clear, when those doubts begin to creep in and you start questioning God and His mercy and love, it’s the enemy luring you away from your faith and relationship with Him.

How do I know that?

Because there are many examples of this exact thing in the Bible.

For instance, when God’s people were being held captive in Egypt under an oppressive and cruel leader, they prayed to God for deliverance. They cried out day and night for Him to rescue them and make things right. They were obviously perplexed and disheartened when He didn’t immediately answer their prayers and in fact, allowed things to get even worse. But what they didn’t know was that He was preparing Moses to be a vessel for His deliverance.

But Moses wasn’t cooperating, which took more time than the people would have liked. You see, God was actively answering the prayers of the people, they just couldn’t see it yet.

Jesus tells us a parable that shows us we should “always pray and not give up.” It’s of a widow who had to continually go in front of a judge to get justice done in her life, and it wasn’t until she wore him out with her coming that he finally relented and gave her what she asked for. After telling this parable, Jesus asks whether He would find this type of faith on the earth when He comes.

So you see, nowhere in the Bible does God promise us He will answer our prayers on our time schedule. He answers prayers using a variety of methods and means, and sometimes His answers take time. Moses had to be prepared to be the vessel for God’s answer, and if the people had only trusted Him, they would have been spared all those doubts and fears.

So, back to your unanswered prayers.

When you complain that God isn’t answering them, are you sure? Or is it that He’s preparing a “Moses” or some other means to grant you your heart’s desire? The thing is, you won’t know until He’s ready to reveal His plan.

And that leaves you with two choices.

You can doubt Him and complain that He isn’t acting like you think He should, all the while not realizing that He’s working on your behalf. Or you can trust Him. You can put a stop to the voices of doubt in your head and begin praising Him for what you cannot see. That’s the definition of faith, right? The NIV puts it this way: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

And finally, let me leave you with one of the most beautiful images in the Bible. It’s from Psalm 18, and was written by David when God rescued him from his enemies. It tells of the moment God swung into action to answer David’s prayers.

“Smoke went up from his nostrils and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind. He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water. Out of the darkness before him hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

That my friends is what it looks like when the Creator of the Universe set things into motion to answer your prayers.

Did you notice something?

Before He broke through the clouds to take action, he hid himself in the darkness. In other words, until the very second He made himself known, only HE knew of his intentions.

Unanswered prayer? I don’t think so. If you’re praying for something and are beginning to doubt God, remember this: He may be in the canopy of the clouds this very second, just about to break through and answer your prayers. But you won't know it until He decides to reveal himself.

But at that moment when He breaks through, do you want to joyously praise Him and thank Him, or do you want  to hang your head in shame and apologize for ever doubting Him?

The answer is simple: let’s trust the one we claim to believe in and overcome the world by our faith! 

Well, it’s been awhile since you heard from me, and I want to apologize for that. I’m busy working on my newest project, The Irrationality of Poetry, and have been absolutely consumed by this book. But as I was writing today, I became overwhelmed with the question that lies deep within the message of the book: what must it feel like to truly understand God’s love for us?

I’m not talking about knowing that Jesus loves us on some logical level, or even having it tucked away lightly in our hearts. I’m talking about walking in that knowledge with each and every step we take every day.

I’m talking about breathing it in every time we take a breath. Knowing it when things are good and when they’re horrible. Never, ever doubting, even for one moment that God, the Creator of the Universe, loves us.

Loves us.

Lives for us. Died for us. And this, despite the fact that He knows us more intimately than anyone else.

It just leaves you breathless, doesn’t it?

Paul was overcome with the emotion himself when he wrote Romans 8:37-39

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

Did he leave anything out? Tragedy or hurt? No, that’s covered. Huge obstacles? Nope. People in positions of authority that impact us negatively in some way? Not even them.

So, here’s my question. If everyone understood this on a deep, soul kind of level, how different would our world be? How different would our lives be? Us? Our families? Our workplaces? Our friendships, and loves, and priorities and goals? Don’t you think we would all rearrange our priorities and assign less importance to the majority of those things in our lives that cause us stress?

My gosh, if we could only get the magnitude of this one truth embedded deep into our souls, we could change the world.

And isn’t that what He calls us to do?

Let the very next breath you take be filled with the knowledge that HE LOVES YOU.

I'm so happy to announce the release of my new book, The Leap of Forgiveness! I’ve already received emails from readers who tell me the book has enabled them to let go of the anger and unforgiveness they’d been holding onto. Glenn Young at Faith, Fiction, Friends, says “A Leap of Forgiveness is a warm, moving story of how old love and new love overcome even the worst of circumstances.” So far, the reviews have been great, and I hope this book blesses you in some way.
 
To celebrate the release, I’m running a giveaway for the audio version of The Fragrance of Surrender, the first book in this series. I’ll send the first 20 people who send a new subscriber to my blog a promotion code for the free audio on Audible. Here’s how to win your free audio book:

• Ask a friend who enjoys reading Christian fiction to subscribe to my blog here. 
• Send me a quick email at aprilgeremia@gmail.com and tell me who subscribed. As soon as I get confirmation, I’ll send you the free promo code!

 
I’m fast at work on the next book in the Souls of the Sea Series, The Irrationality of Poetry, and I hope to release it this August.
 
Good luck on the giveaway, and may God bless you richly,

Millions of eBooks have been published over the past few years, and according to an author earnings report, a full 40 percent were published by Indie authors last year. That’s great news for the publishing world, but for readers, it can get a little tricky. After all, how are you supposed to know if a book by an unknown author will suit your tastes if you’ve never read their books before?

I think I figured out the answer.

I’ve just released a new book titled Inspirational Women’s Fiction Sampler, and it includes 7-8 chapters from each of my books, including my latest, The Leap of Forgiveness, which won’t be released for a couple of weeks. I hope to give people a free preview of my writing style, so they can make up their minds about my books before they have to purchase them.

And that’s where you come in.

Will you (pretty) please forward this email, like it, tweet it, and do whatever else you can to get the word out about my new (and free) book?

I sure would appreciate it!

All His best for you and yours,

​

There’s a verse in the Bible that tells us to be sure to entertain strangers because in doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2) And many people have speculated about this verse. Does it mean angels come down from Heaven to protect us? Or is God talking about human angels—those strangers we meet who are put in our path to help us when we need it the most? Certainly the Bible documents instances when angels were sent to protect or help people, but I also believe God uses people on this earth as angels to help us in our time of need.

In fact, I’ve met one myself.

Let me start the story by telling you a little bit about the last few years. More than a few readers have asked me about my history and I wasn’t quite sure how to share it, but an event today has given me the perfect opportunity to do so.

You see, my angel left today. And it really has me thinking.

Two years ago, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. I’m talking an out-of-the-blue, never expected it kind of diagnoses. It happened suddenly, and before I even knew what was happening, I underwent brain surgery to remove the horrible thing. The good news is that it was benign, but the bad news was that I had just moved to a new area and had no family or close friends near me.

But God knew that would happen and He made a provision for it. Four months before the discovery of the tumor, I rented my downstairs apartment to a guy we’ll call Ted. Ted is a free-spirited kind of guy who makes friends wherever he goes and has a heart of gold. But when he rented my apartment, he probably never expected his landlord to arrive home after a hospital stay unable to figure out how to even plug something into the wall.

Yeah, recovering from brain surgery is not fun. At all.

But Ted jumped into action and quickly became the one person I could always count on. And he was right there every time I hit a milestone. When I finally figured out how to check my email two weeks after the surgery, he was there to cheer me on. When I decided I wanted to build raised vegetable beds in my back yard, he spent every weekend “helping” me until they were finished. He was constantly there to remind me that I was progressing and even went so far as to compliment me when I was 100 pounds with a shaved head.--with a straight face.

Yeah, Ted was my angel.

But, he moved today. He has another opportunity in a different city, and while it saddens me to lose my dear friend, I can only imagine that God has another assignment for him. After all, he completed his last one with perfection.

And that’s how I know God uses some people as angels on this earth. And why wouldn’t He? He knows our needs before we do, and if he can use a willing soul to help us in our time of need, He will.

So, as the verse says, be careful when you deal with strangers because you truly never know who they are. When Ted came to look at the apartment I was renting, I could have never imagined what a huge role he would play in my life.

But God knew. And I pray that Ted is richly blessed for his willingness to be an angel of God in my time of need.

​Have you experienced an angel in your life? I sure would love to hear about it in the comments below!

The other day on twitter, Beth Moore tweeted something that really got me thinking. (What, you don’t follow me on twitter? Fix that now! @april_geremia )

Anyway, she said “We do disservice when we go to service acting like we’ve never rolled in the mud. Someone at the church needs to know we’ve been where they are.”

Can you say Amen?


Why We Need to be Real in Church

I think it’s safe to say that none of us entered this world wearing a halo and it’s a pretty good bet that most of us have had our muddy days. So, why in the world do we feel the need to act like we’re so saintly whenever we’re in church? My guess is that we’re afraid we’ll be judged if people knew we “had a past,” or are currently battling sin or some temptation in our lives. But would they? As Christians, aren’t we supposed to offer counseling, comfort and prayer to the hurting?

But it goes even deeper than that.

I want you to imagine something for a moment. What would it feel like if you were struggling with temptation or had a past you were ashamed of, and you went to church and sat among women who acted as if they'd never stepped outside of a pew? You try and talk to these women, but after a while you give up because they've clearly led pristine lives and you can’t imagine that they’ve ever experienced anything like what you’re dealing with. You end up leaving church hopeless, because after all, if people in church can’t understand the things you’re going through, who will?

Seriously, close your eyes for just a moment and imagine the pain someone like that would feel. When that happens, when someone walks away from the church not getting the answers or comfort they need because we feel like we have to present a perfect image to the world, we’ve failed. Epically.

And is that really the message we want to convey?

What Should We Do About it?

Now I’m not saying we need to air our dirty laundry in front of the congregation every Sunday or announce to every newcomer that we’ve also had muddy days, but what we do need to do is be real.
How can we do that? By being honest. Really, it’s not that difficult. I’ll start.

I’ve had my muddy days. Very muddy days.

Does that make me less of a Christian? Does Jesus love me any less because I’ve made mistakes in the past? Not according to his Word.

So, if we believe in grace and forgiveness, why don’t we stop pretending we don't? It will not only free us of the hypocrisy, but it will likely be a welcomed relief to the people around us who are just trying to keep up with our illusion of perfection.

And isn’t that exactly what the world needs right now? A little grace in the midst of all the chaos and turmoil?

What about you? Have you had some muddy days and are tired of pretending it never happened? Make a commitment to walk into church this Sunday with the mask off. Go in being real and just see if God doesn’t’ use it for His glory!

If you make this commitment, let me know in the comments or please sending me a message using the button below. I’d love to share your stories on a future blog, and promise to do it anonymously!

All His best for you and yours,

April

Forgiveness has been on my mind a lot lately. Not only is it the theme of the book I’m working on now, A Leap to Forgiveness, but it’s also a huge tenet of our faith. The Word tells us that if, during our prayers, we remember we have something against someone, we should forgive that person so our Father can forgive us our trespasses.  

That’s right. There is a verse in the Bible that tells us unforgiveness will inhibit our relationship with God. (Mark 11:25)

Obviously, forgiveness is high on God’s priority list for his followers. The word goes even further in Matthew 5:23-24. That verse instructs us to leave the altar in the middle of an offering to God if we remember that someone has something against us. Matthew tells us to go to that person and reconcile before continuing with our offering.

We Must Forgive Before We can be Right with God

But how does that verse apply when we don’t make offerings at a physical temple anymore? Todays’ Christians make offerings at the altar of our hearts whenever we offer praise for answered prayers, dedicate our children to the Lord, are baptized, and declare Christ as our savior.

I think most of us will agree that forgiving those who have hurt us is important to our walk with Christ, but a recent post sent to me by one of my dearest friends sheds some new light on the topic and I’d like to share the highlights here.

Why Jesus Compared Unforgiveness to a Tree

Rick Renner, author of the beloved book Sparkling Gems from the Greek, talks about why Jesus referred to a sycamine tree in Luke 17:6. In the verse, Jesus tells the disciples that if they had faith the size of a mustard seed, they could command a sycamine tree to be plucked up by the roots and planted in the sea.

Why did Jesus use a sycamine tree as an example of unforgiveness in this verse?

That’s where it gets interesting. You see, we know that whenever God commands us to do something, it’s ultimately for our own good, and while we’re not familiar with the characteristics of sycamine trees, the people who heard Jesus speak that day were because the tree grew abundantly in the area. So, let’s take a look at the verse through the people’s eyes who were familiar with the tree.

But First, Let’s put it in Context

Immediately before this verse, Jesus told his disciples that if a brother sinned against them and asked for forgiveness, they should forgive—even if it happened seven times a day. The disciples, who were apparently overwhelmed with the thought of that kind of radical forgiveness, asked Jesus to increase their faith so they could obey Him.

He responded by quoting our verse. He told the disciples that if they had faith the size of a mustard seed, they could cause a sycamine tree to uproot itself and be planted in the sea. In other words, a small amount of faith is all it takes to uproot unforgiveness (The sycamine tree) in our lives.

Now, out of all the trees in the world, Jesus had some pretty good reasons for using this one to illustrate His point. Here are some of the characteristics of a sycamine tree:
​

• This tree had one of the deepest root structures around, and that made it difficult to kill because despite a lack of rain or extreme heat, its long roots could reach deep into the earth to find water. It’s the same thing with unforgiveness and the bitterness that stems from it. These mindsets can reach deep into our souls and, once established, can be difficult to eradicate. That’s why Jesus asks us to deal with them immediately. Did you notice how he tells us to confront them when we are praying and making offerings to Him—something most of us do on a daily basis? If we deal with them immediately as Jesus instructed us to, the attitude won’t be able to set up root systems in our soul that are difficult to kill. It’s also why if someone has allowed unforgiveness or bitterness to fester, it can seem impossible to overcome. Luckily, Jesus promised that if our faith was just the size of a very small seed, it could be done.

• The sycamine tree grew very quickly. Just as bitterness and unforgiveness grow rapidly and quickly takes over a heart, the sycamine tree grew very fast in any type of condition. In other words, Jesus understands that unless we deal with these emotions quickly, they will end up taking over our lives.
• Wood from the sycamine tree was used to build caskets. Renner believes that another reason Jesus referred to this tree when talking about unforgiveness is because that attitude can be deadly. There have been plenty of studies that show how negative emotions can harm our health, but they also hurt us spiritually.
• Finally, the figs from a sycamine tree were so bitter the only way to eat them was to nibble on them a little bit at a time. They weren’t like the figs from a mulberry tree, which were sweet and delicious, even though they looked exactly the same. And isn’t that just like the fruit that bitterness and unforgiveness produces?

Renner says Jesus used the sycamine tree as an example of unforgiveness because it illustrates what it can do to us and our walk, and after learning the characteristics of the tree, I have to agree.

But holding onto unforgiveness has its merits, doesn’t it? After all, it allows us to relive the hurt over and over again, which somehow makes us feel justified in our bitterness. And that easily allows us to avoid new relationships, life experiences and the possibilities that come from an unfettered heart.

Ouch.

Jesus understood all of that when he told the disciples the importance of forgiveness, which brings me to my point. God demands that we forgive others because He knows what will happen to us, our faith, and our Christian walk if we don’t.

​Are you struggling with forgiveness? If so, leave a comment below and allow the words of wisdom from other readers help you through it. And remember, at the time a mustard seed was the smallest seed a first-century farmer in that part of the world could sow!

You know what’s hard? Being lonely during the holidays, even when you’re surrounded by friends and family. Unless you’ve experienced the sensation, it’s difficult to imagine. You might feel lonely because you just don’t have the connections you want with the people around you, or it could come from a feeling of not being “good enough.” Maybe you don’t feel like you’re fun enough, a good enough friend, or you might be struggling as an introvert in an extrovert setting.

Whatever the reason, loneliness when you’re surrounded by people is painful, especially during the holidays.

It’s also easy to feel this way when you’re separated from someone you love like a spouse, children, siblings, significant other or best friend. In times like this, every jingle, every Christmas carol, every Ho-Ho-Ho reminds you that a large piece of your heart is missing.

I’ve been there. Boy have I.

In fact, these past few Christmases, I’ve avoided the commercial aspect of the holiday like the plague because the most important person in my life can’t be here to celebrate with me. People tell me to just get past it and put up those decorations or somehow get in the spirit. But what they don’t understand is those decorations hurt. The songs made me want to cry. The social gatherings are an intense reminder of who I’m missing.

But you know what?

There is someone who knows with certainty what we're feeling, whether it's a feeling of unworthiness or a longing to be near those we love, and He’s just waiting to share the season with us. After all, He’s the reason for it.

Now before you dismiss this post and think I’m going to tell you why you should be happy even when you’re not, let me assure you I would never do that. I take your loneliness way too seriously.

But what I am offering is a new way to think about it. I, like many of you, will go through the holidays this year without the most important person in my life. And let’s be real, no matter how much we focus on Jesus and the glory of Christmas Day, the separation from someone we love or the lack of a connection in a roomful of people still hurts. Horribly so.

As humans, we require heart connections, need someone to listen to us when we want to talk, long to know that we’re loved and missed, even in our brokenness. When someone asks us how we are, we want them to mean it—to know that our answer matters to them.  I know I do.

So, what can we do to get past the loneliness of the next few days? As with everything else in life, let’s look to His Word.

Let’s Put it in Context

Not being with someone you love during the holidays is awful, and in order to make myself feel better this year, I’ve decided to look at it another way. Matthew (27:46) tells us that Jesus cried out in His loneliness on the cross, “My God, My God why have You forsaken Me?” Jesus knew that the Father was the only one He could rely on, but at that moment, He felt some very real emotions and they probably amounted to what we know as loneliness. Only way more intense than you or I will ever feel.

That’s not to take away from how you feel—your pain is very real. But it does let us know that our Savior understands exactly how we feel. And if He understands it, He can provide us with the comfort we need.

Let’s Learn from It

The only way to get past hurts and disappointments is to learn from them, but try telling that to anyone in the midst of their pain. Sometimes, the pain is so real, so overwhelming that it’s all we can do to put on an acceptable face and “get through it.” But is that really what God has in mind for us, even in the midst of our loneliness?

I don’t think so.

Hebrews 13:5 tells us that God will never leave us or forsake us. And James 4:8 tells us that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. So the first step in the process is to go to the One who can give us the comfort we need. Talk to Him and tell Him how you feel—how you long to be understood and loved, and how every bit of you aches for your missing loved one. Put aside a little quiet time where it’s just you and Him and pour out your heart to Him. Tell him everything and let his deep love for you wash away the layers of loneliness.

And then, once you’re refreshed, change how you approach the holidays.

Start by being vulnerable to the trustworthy people around you. It’s easy to be closed off when you’re lonely or feeling unworthy, but that will only perpetuate the feeling. That doesn’t mean you should spill out your heart to everyone nearby, but be real and honest with the people you trust. Remember to listen as much as you talk, and care about them as much as you’re asking them to care about you. When you open yourself up to people, it gives you an opportunity to form new friendships that can help ease your loneliness.

Another great way to form connections this season is to stop waiting to be invited. Who says you have to wait for someone to invite you someplace? Instead, why not plan an activity or two and extend invitations to people you already know, or those you want to get to know a little better? Remember, chances are you’re not the only one who is feeling lonely this Christmas season. In fact, someone could be waiting for your call right now.

Jesus tells us to love each other the way He loved us. And I for one, am going to stop focusing on my own pain this year and try to be a blessing to someone else.

Father, I pray that those who are feeling lonely right now will feel the comfort You want to give them. Please reach out to them in a way that is unmistakably You. Show them they are loved, cherished, and that the plans You have for their lives are beautiful beyond their wildest dreams.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Remember, if you want to talk or ask for prayer, you can always reach out to me via the Contact Me page and I’ll answer you right away!

I pray His best for you,

April

We know we’re supposed to not only love one another, but everyone else as well. And while most everyone believes it, sometimes knowing how to put it into practice isn’t easy. I mean, how do we apply that commandment to our everyday lives?

After all, how do you love someone who has hurt you or deliberately deceived you? Does God really
mean for us to love everyone? Even them?

Yep, He does.  

And this past Sunday, my pastor made the point in a thought provoking way. He talked about the story of Joseph and Mary through Joseph’s eyes, and by the end of the service, I knew I needed to write about it.  

Here’s what he said.

At the time of Joseph and Mary’s betrothal, the law said if a woman was unfaithful to her betrothed, a man could do one of three things. He could have her put to death for her sin, he could bring her to the front gate and have her publicly shamed while divorcing her, or, he could quietly go about a divorce so she wouldn’t be shamed and humiliated. A betrothal was binding and the only way out of it was through death or divorce.

When Joseph discovered that Mary was pregnant, he naturally assumed she had been unfaithful to him, and he was certainly well aware of the three choices he had to remedy the situation. But let’s not forget to look at Joseph’s heart. He loved Mary enough to take her for his wife, and he certainly must have felt the sharp pain of betrayal. And that combined with the humiliation of people knowing she was with child before they had consummated their marriage must have been a difficult thing for him to bear.

In many people’s eyes, it would have been perfectly reasonable for Joseph to hurt Mary like she hurt him. He could have asked that she be put to death, or at least humiliated her for her apparent sin. Surely God would understand if Joseph didn’t practice love in this situation.

But that’s not what Joseph did.

And that brings us to what love looks like in the eyes of God.

Joseph chose to quietly divorce Mary, even though she had apparently betrayed him. He wouldn’t humiliate her or do her harm in any way. She would be able to go away during her pregnancy, and then start life over without her reputation being tarnished. It was an act of unselfishness on Joseph’s part, and I wonder how many men of that time would have chosen the same path.

But it gets even better.

According to prophecy, the woman who would carry the Christ Child had to be a virgin. That means God knew she would likely be ridiculed or scorned by others when she claimed she was carrying the Son of God. That would create a difficult situation for any man in the young girl’s life. God knew the situation would require love.

My pastor suggested something next that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.

Maybe He chose Mary to be the Mother of God in part because of Joseph.

Maybe God searched the earth for a man who would act in love, putting the woman’s life ahead of his own. Maybe when He talks about love, this is what He means.

Could Joseph be one of the greatest examples of selfless love in the Bible?

Of course, we all know how the story ends. Joseph was visited by an angel who told him it was okay for him to take Mary as his wife because she was telling the truth. And Joseph did just that, and Jesus was born into the family.

But let’s not forget that when Joseph made that decision of love, he did it before the angel reassured him of Mary’s faithfulness. He acted in love despite the fact that he thought he had been betrayed and hurt by Mary.

And that’s what I’ll remember as I go about my walk with God.

If God chose Joseph based on this kind of heart, this type of selfless love, then isn't that what we should all strive to achieve in our own lives?

What about you? Do you struggle to love those who hurt or betray you? Do you believe God used Joseph’s kind of love to give grace and comfort to Mary? How will this revelation affect you in your life?

I’ve been thinking a lot about thankfulness lately. And the timing is right as today many Americans across the country will sit around a table and recount the blessings in their life.

But the reality is that while we are thankful for a good meal or being surrounded by family, someone in the world is overjoyed because they have clean water for the day, or a piece of bread to silence their growling stomach.

According to Action Against Hunger, 3.5 million children die every year from hunger. And the problem hits close to home, as well. Feeding America says that 48.1 million people, which includes 15.3 million children, live in homes that don’t have enough food.

That puts another spin on the prayer we’ll say as we sit down to our lavish Thanksgiving meals thanking God for our abundance, doesn’t it?

I’m not saying we shouldn’t be happy we have enough or because we’re able to celebrate this important day. God has blessed a great many of us living in America for sure, but for me and my family, we’ll be more mindful of those who would give anything just for one bite of food from our table.

​The reason I’m so mindful this year is because I recently met a young family who has hit a rough spot, and they’re struggling. We’ve done all we can for them, but they are heavy on my mind as I sit down to the table today.

Lord, please provide for those who lack the basic things they need to sustain life today. Cause us all to remember those who are in trouble and remind us to be Your hands and feet.

I wish you and your family all His best today,

April