| I love giving you a monthly devotional here. I hope and pray that I encourage you or help you learn something about God each month. However, an illness that took my entire family under for about a week in late January, and I didn’t pray as much about what to say for this month as normal. I don’t want to spew words on a page. I want everything I write – from my books, to social media posts, to this blog – to have meaning. So when I realized I missed sending out my monthly newsletter (and thus, this blog),, I prayed, “God, what do You want me to tell them? And please make it quick.” I felt like He asked me, “What’s the rush? Just tell them that I love them.” That’s what it’s all about, right? (And with Valentine’s Day in February, it seemed appropriate. I think God planned that.) God created us just so He could love us. He wanted a relationship with us. From the very beginning of creation, when everything was perfect, God walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8). He loved spending time with His creation. Then we messed up and sin entered the world. It broke that connection we had with God. He still loved us, but we couldn’t love Him right. Because of His love, though, He had a plan. Our sin brought death and pain into the world, so God sent His only Son into the world to die and feel pain, just so He could raise from the dead and defeat death. Thus, He defeated sin. Romans 5:8 (ESV) says, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Not when we got our lives together. Not when we did something right. But while we were still like pigs wallowing in the mud of our sin and destruction, Jesus came and died for us. He took our sins and bore our punishment, just so that God could have a relationship with us again. He sends His Spirit to the world so that He can be with us on Earth after being redeemed, while we wait for the complete restoration and relationship with Him in Heaven. If you are a Christian, I want you to pause and remember what your life was like before. What has Jesus saved you from? Take time to remember what He has done for you – what He has saved you from. And thank Him. If you are not a Christian, please know God is very much alive and does love you tons. More than we could ever imagine. If you have any questions on what it means to be a Christian or who God is, or anything like that, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email and ask. I do not judge. I remember what I was like before I was a Christian, and it was just as ugly as anything you could throw at me. This devotional isn’t anything new. You probably knew all this already. But it is so important to remind ourselves how much God loves us. It’s important to bask in His love. |
Tag: writing
New Year, New You?
I have never been into New Year’s Resolutions. I have a Psychology degree, and I don’t need that to tell you that most people give up on their resolutions by the end of January.
However, I do love setting goals. I love dreaming. And I really, really love achieving. (Probably too much.)
Sometimes I struggle with wondering if dreaming is okay. I mean, aren’t we supposed to trust God with our future? Whatever He wants to happen will, right?
Yes, God can pull the “God card” and make things happen. God is all-powerful (omnipotent) and all-knowing (omniscient).
But God calls us to get up off our rear ends (as my four-year-old likes to say, our boodies) and DO something.
Consider Abraham. God has HUGE plans for Abraham, but Abraham had to pack up his life and travel to an unknown country for an unknown amount of time (Genesis 12). Then God made him the father of many nations (Genesis 17:4-6).
Now think of Moses. He was given a life of luxury as an adopted son of an Egyptian princess, but then he was called to leave it behind to lead the ungrateful, whiny, faithless Israelites out of Egypt. God used him to lead His people to the Promised Land. (His story takes up most of Exodus.)
Think about your favorite Bible hero or heroine. How did God tell them to act in order of God to use him or her?
I love the story of Esther. She had to go to the king, and if he didn’t extend his scepter to her in favor, she’d be killed. No pressure, right? But she trusted God and went, knowing that her entire people’s lives were at stake.
It’s a new year. It’s time to take action.
But it would be stupid to act without a plan.
Proverbs 21:5 (ESV) says, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”
This is a principle, not a promise. Those who plan hard and work hard are those who tend to find the most success. Those who are lazy and just go with the flow are more likely to be stuck in poverty. Maybe not financial poverty, but they never get the fulfillment of seeing their dreams come true.
I firmly believe that God gives us hopes and dreams. Sometimes we have dreams that can lead us from God, especially if we start to put those dreams before Him. When you have dreams, I encourage you to pray and ask God if the plan is from Him and how you can best go after achieving your dream.
God doesn’t want to frustrate you. In fact, He has big plans for you!
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope,” (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV).
This is a promise God made to Jeremiah, but there are enough verses like in the Bible that He wants good for us, too (Isaiah 41:10, Romans 8:28, John 16:33, 1 Peter 5:7, etc.).
But He wants us to act.
Ephesians 2:10 (ESV) says, “For we are his [God’s] workmanship, created in Jesus Christ for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
God has a plan for us. A good plan. A wonderful, fantastic, great plan!
I already confessed I let fear get in my way. I’m done. I’m ready to chase what God has for me. Will you join me in chasing your dreams?
Joseph, Earthly Father of Jesus
Last Christmas season, our pastor did a sermon where he dug into… no, not Jesus, but JOSESPH. He encouraged us to consider the birth of Jesus from his earthly father’s point of view. It was an interesting concept for me, and actually encouraged me to write a short (very short!) Biblical fiction novella.
Joseph had every right to divorce Mary after he learned that she was pregnant. The culture they lived in was a shame/honor culture, meaning that a person’s social status was influenced by their perceived honor. Mary’s pregnancy out of wedlock would have brought immense shame – to her, to her family, and to Joseph.
However, God had other plans. Joseph put aside what he had learned about shame and honor, and learn to obey God. While he did so, he was humble.
Having a pregnant fiancé in that culture could have easily caused a lot of problems for Joseph. Although we don’t know for sure, it easily could have made people not want to do business with Joseph – a man of perceived low discipline.
There is no proof that there inability to find room in the inn was caused by her pregnancy, but it could have played a part. (Bethlehem was also very crowded for the census, so it could also be that it was just that crowded.)
Yet Joseph remained faithful to God. He trusted God, whom he probably called Yahweh, to take care of him, his wife, and his child.
Some of the timelines in the story may be off a little. We don’t know if Joseph and Mary were married or still engaged when they made it to Bethlehem. (And since their culture was so different than ours in regards to their marriage customs, honestly, I get a little confused by it.)
There is so much we could learn from Joseph. His humility. His faithfulness. His honor (in God’s eyes, if not man’s). His quiet strength.
As we near Christmas, yes, it is all about Jesus. Please don’t hear me say otherwise! But I also want you to consider Joseph. What can you learn from him?
If nothing else, we should be encouraged to obey God. No matter the cost.
Endure the Hard Times – A Glance at Revelation
Growing up, I was the oldest child and the oldest grandchild. If you need someone to be bossy, just let me know. I’ve got it covered!
I know I can overdo it, so I try really hard not to.
However, I may never EVER ask a Bible study group what they want to study ever again. I don’t think I want their input anymore.
A few years ago, when my husband and I were leading a youth and young adult Bible study for a church plant we were part of, they wanted to study Job. (Who asks to study Job?!?) I learned a lot preparing for it, the group learned a lot from it, and we created a totally awesome skit from it to perform for church. (Think: “Wizard of Oz,” except it was “Job, from the wonderful land of Uz.” – please tell me you sang that. The best part? My husband was the wizard, AKA God, and I was – yep! – the wicked witch, AKA Satan. Hehe.) It ended up to be a really good study.
Last week, I asked the 1st-5th grade Sunday School class I teach every other month what they wanted to study in November, and they said Revelation.
Ugh.
First of all, I only get four weeks with them. How am I supposed to get through 21 chapters in four weeks? Second of all, how do I get that material down to their level? I don’t even understand a lot of it myself!
However, as I’ve been studying Revelation to prepare for this, there are a few main themes that stood out to me that I want to share with you.
Revelation is broken into four sections.
> Chapters 1-3 are church history
> Chapters 4-5 talk about the church in Heaven
> Chapters 6-19 talk about the coming Tribulation
> Chapters 20-21 talk about the new Heaven and new Earth
In every single section, we see that Jesus has already won!
In the history of the church, God worked amazing things through the church. His Word was spread, His love was shown. Miracles were performed. Even in the not-so-great (downright ugly) parts of church history, the places John writes to the churches to improve in, Jesus gives a second chance to improve because He can. Even today, He humbles us and lets us try again because He defeated sin and death.
In the church in Heaven, Jesus shows us His glory and holiness.
In the coming Tribulation, there will be seven years where things are so bad, Christians will be begging for death. (My words.) At the end, Jesus will throw Satan in Hell for good. He will be victorious. (Spoiler alert:Jesus already beat Satan on the cross! Satan doesn’t stand a chance. Jesus is already victorious over both sin and death. Halleluiah!)
In regards to those seven years – will Christians be taken up before the seven years? Will they have to endure it to the end? Will they be taken up halfway through? I honestly don’t know. My policy is hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Philippians 1:27 (ESV) says, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” He’ll put me where He needs me. (And may He give me strength to endure!)
And when all is said and done, we will celebrate His victory, we will celebrate HIM, in the new Heaven and new Earth He creates.
Friend, I know life may seem hard now. I know with the election tomorrow, life can be downright scary. I know watching the news with all the wars across the world, natural disasters, and dangers close to home, it might feel like the end times are at hand.
The last main point I want to make about Revelation is that it talks about the righteous enduring until the end.
Endure, my friend! No matter what you are going through, God can help you get through it. It’s okay to collapse in His arms. Know that He loves you so much.
And know that I care about you, too.
Cling to your righteousness, Friend. I want to encourage you with Galatians 6:9 (ESV): “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
Don’t give up! Endure! Through Christ, you can overcome! (Revelation 21:7)
Free Book on Kindle Now
Hello, friend!
I wanted to write to let you know that my book, “Enoch Walked with God: and you can too” is FREE on Kindle today and tomorrow (October 8-10). It started out to coincide with Prime Days, but I wanted to give you an extra day. People are enjoying it. Plus, you don’t have to have Prime to enjoy this deal!
Why did I set it for free?
Because I believe it’s something that Christians, especially Christians just starting their walk with God or who feel stuck in their walk with God, can benefit from. I want it to encourage you, and sometimes, money gets in the way. For a time, I wanted to remove that barrier.
A lot of people have found this book encouraging. Here is what one person said about it:
Well, that’s all great, Caitlin. But what’s the book even about? I’m glad you asked! Here’s the blurb:
Christians say you have to ‘walk with God,’ but what does that even mean?
Enoch Walked with God: And You Can Too digs deep to answer this question by comparing a physical walk to a spiritual walk. We live in a world where God is considered irrelevant or even dead. Can we walk with God in a world like this? Why would we want to?
This book investigates the life of Enoch – a man who is only mentioned a handful of times in the Bible, but we know he walked so close with God that he never died. “Enoch walked with God, then he was no more, because God took him away,” (Genesis 5:24).
What was the world like when Enoch lived? Can we draw comparisons to the world now?
How did he walk with God? Can we still walk with God today like he did then? (Spoiler alert: We CAN!)
In Enoch Walked with God: And You Can Too, Caitlin compares the characteristics of a physical walk with a spiritual walk and, with a look at Enoch’s life, she paints a full picture of walking with God. She provides practical actions that can be taken to walk with God today.
If you want to learn how to walk with God or how to walk with Him deeper, read Enoch Walked with God today!
So if you’re ready to download the book (for FREE!) then just click the image below.
If you know someone who would benefit from the book, share this page with them. (Just copy and past it into a text, email, Facebook post – whatever!)
As an indie author, I rely completely on help from people like you. So THANK YOU! Every download, every time you share something about it, every review left on Amazon after you read it is immensely helpful. And as an indie author, I feel every one personally. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
If you do download “Enoch Walked with God,” I pray it’s a blessing to you. I really, truly do.
If you do love it, would you please leave me a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BoobBub? All reviews help. Thank you!
How Can I Pray for You?
I know this is normally where I post a devotional, but this month I want to do something different.
It has been an incredibly hard and busy season for me, and I know I’m not the only one. I want you to know that I’m praying for you. I may not know your name, but I am praying that everyone who reads this would receive an extra dose of God’s love and grace today.
Why? Because God loves you so much. He cares so much for you.
And because I am so grateful for you! You care enough about what I say to take time to read this. That is huge! And that means so much to me. You may not understand just how much it means to me.
But I have prayed for you.
Did you know Jesus prayed for you, too? Check it out, in John 17:20-26. I want to emphasize verse 26 (ESV): “‘I [Jesus] made known to them your [God’s] name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.'”
No matter what we are going through, Jesus loved you so much to pray for you (and then die and rise again to save you from eternal punishment). God loves you so much that He loves hearing from you. Nothing is too big and nothing is too insignificant for God. You can talk to Him about anything.
Yes, I have prayed for you, but if there is something specific I can pray for, please hit that “Contact” button above and let me know what it is. Your requests will be completely confidential.
If there’s nothing specific, just know that God loves you. And I do, too.
A Hard Topic – Forgiveness
As I am finally getting back into writing my story, “Second Chance on the Road,” I have been contemplating forgiveness. Not only is the main spiritual theme of that book about forgiveness, but there is something going on in my life right now that is making me think a lot about forgiveness, too.
The Bible talks a lot about forgiveness. It makes it clear that it’s very important.
Jesus died so we could be forgiven.
“And he [Jesus] took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins,'” Matthew 26:27-28, ESV.
If Jesus was willing to die a very painful death just so that we can be forgiven of every bad thing we’ve ever done (and every good thing we should have done but did not), that’s a huge deal. Would you be willing to die so someone who deserves eternal punishment would be forgiven?
Jesus forgives freely.
“To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him [Jesus] receives forgiveness of sins through his name,” Acts 10:43, ESV.
EVERYONE who believes can be forgiven. We see this when Jesus was hanging on the cross between two criminals. One mocks Him, the other says he deserves his punishment and asks Jesus to remember him in Heaven. Jesus says that the second man will join Him in Heaven, (Luke 23:39-43).
We are also supposed to forgive.
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, and God in Christ forgave you,” (Ephesians 4:31-32, ESV).
This is a hard one. We all like to be on the receiving end of forgiveness. We like having the slate wiped clean and our mistakes not counted against us.
But when it comes time for us to forgive someone who has hurt us? Not so easy. When someone hurts someone we care about? Nearly impossible.
As humans, we need to remember that forgiveness isn’t saying that what someone did is okay. Instead, it’s acknowledging the wrong, then saying, “But I won’t hold it against you.”
God loves us with an agape love. Agape is a Greek word showing a love that never wavers. It never changes due to circumstance. Oh, you stabbed me in the back? I still love you.
This sounds crazy, but that is exactly what Jesus did for us. Judas betrayed Him. His disciples scattered. Peter denied even knowing Him.
We fight and cause division in our churches, the bride of Christ. We divorce our spouses. We scream at our kids. We mar the Name of Jesus.
Yet He still loves and forgives us. Nothing in those examples is okay. But Jesus wipes our slate clean, and we should do the same for others.
Let’s be honest. As humans, that’s impossible to do. We cannot forgive as freely as Jesus does. When we are hurt, that is when we need to ask Jesus to help us forgive. He loves to answer that prayer. He loves to heal the hurts between people and mend broken relationships.
Unfortunately, just because we forgive someone doesn’t mean that our relationship will automatically be healed. It just means that we aren’t going to let bitterness destroy us from the inside out. It means we are kicking Satan to the curb and proclaiming that we are choosing to love like Jesus loves.
I confess, it’s hard. I have some situations in my life where I am constantly having to choose to forgive. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.
I encourage you to take some time today to examine your heart today. Is there someone in your life that you need to forgive? Pray that the Spirit will help you. If you want someone to pray with you, just hit the contact tab above. I don’t need details, but I am happy to join forces with you in Jesus’ Name.
Mental Health Awareness Month
My family battled a virus around Easter (end of March/early April) and I totally forgot to send out an email newsletter to my Author Group and I totally forgot to upload a blog. Thanks for understanding.
May is a huge month for me.
> I celebrated another birthday earlier in the week! (Twenty-one forever, right? Haha! … And I don’t even drink…)
> My husband and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary yesterday. (I love that man!)
> My son will have a birthday.
> I was baptized in May many moons ago. (I was seven.)
So yeah, May has a lot to celebrate for me. And do I even need to mention warmer weather? Woohoo! I love snow, but I can only handle so much cold. Since Kentucky doesn’t even see that much snow, I’m over the cold pretty early in winter.
However, May is also Mental Health Awareness Month. If you have been part of my author group for a while or follow me on social media, you might already know that I can struggle with depression and that I have been tempted by suicidal thoughts.
This is no longer something that I am ashamed of, but a part of God’s story in my life. He saved my life and my soul from a dark place, and I am eternally grateful.
If you have ever struggled with something like this, please know you are not alone. You can always email me if you need someone to talk with. I am a safe place. I’ve been there, I get it. This is a no-judgement zone.
Please also know that God is not disappointed in you. He loves you so much.
Romans 8:35-39 (ESV) says:
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nothing you can do can make God turn His back on you. He loves you too much to let go.
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, please get help. It’s NOT weakness, it’s strength. It’s smart – it’s knowing what you need and taking care of yourself.
Let me also encourage you with 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV): “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
I know there are days you can barely get out of bed. I know there are days you don’t think you can carry on. Turn to Jesus. He will help you. He won’t leave you alone when you need Someone.
Stand strong, friend. If you are anxious, take a few quiet moments for yourself. If you are stressed, go for a walk. If you are depressed, talk with a friend. Whatever you need to do for yourself today, do it.
You are worth it. God thought you were so worth it, He sent Jesus to die for you. That’s a lot of worth.
In the Beginning
I know that January is when most people talk about new beginnings, and that it is now February. Sorry, just bear with me.
I have been listening to a podcast called “Enjoying the Journey” by Scott Pauley. He’s been going through the first few chapters of the Bible, and it’s really good. If you listen to podcasts, or are willing to give one a try, I strongly encourage you to check it out. The episodes come out once a day and are 11 minutes long (except on Sundays).
Scott has pointed out several things about Genesis that I’ve never noticed before, and I wanted to share a few of those things with you now.
Most Christians can quote Genesis 1:1, which in the ESV states, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Most Christians know the story of how God created the world perfectly, then Adam and Eve sinned and brought sin and death into the world.
Verse two of Genesis one says, “The earth was without form and void, and darkenss was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the earth.”
The word hovering in that verse shows movement. God was moving over the earth, even before He had brought order from chaos, even before creation. Friend, God is still moving today. He is still orchestrating new beginnings.
Verse three says, “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”
God’s Word is so powerful, He created light (and almost everything else) just by speaking it into existance. Wow. That’s big right there.
But the very first thing God created was light. And He’s not done creating light yet! Every day He makes the sun shine. Every night the moon and starts shine. And in our darkest moments, God shines to give us light.
I don’t know what you’re going through today, but I’d bet we all have some kind of darkness we are going through. God is shining through it. It might be hard to see, but He is there. God’s still creating light today.
For the sake of time, I’m going to jump to Genesis 1:27, which says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God, he created him; male and female he created them.”
Every other part of creation was made by God speaking it into existance. Not humans. God sculpted Adam “from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature,” (Genesis 2:7). I always picture it like God working with clay.
God took the time to create us special. His fingerprints are all over us. All over YOU. You were made special.
It might be February, but God is still making new beginnings. He is still creating light in the darkness. And He still loves you so, so much.
No matter what you’re going through, don’t take your eyes off of Jesus. He still loves you, and He’s still making new beginnings.
Stand Firm
Since this is my last blog before Thanksgiving, I felt like I should write a devotional about gratefulness. I thought I should go on and on about how grateful I am for each and every one of you (because I am so, so grateful!)
And while, yes, we should be “giving thanks always” (Ephesians 5:20) and “give thanks in in all circumstances; for this is the will of God,” (1 Thessalonians 5:18), there was something else God was pushing on my heart.
I like to be busy, especially if there is a reason to be busy. I absolutely hate being bored, so I always make sure there is more stuff on my to-do list than I can actually accomplish. Or, if I do finish my list for the day, I finish it like I’m sliding into home plate with the ball whizzing over my head – just barely made it! (What a rush that day is!)
I know this isn’t healthy – physically, emotionally, or spiritually. But I actually enjoy the adrenaline built by racing the day’s 24 hours.
During the holidays, everybody is busy, so I feel less guilty as I continue on my mad pace, maybe even adding more to my plate – decorating? bake holiday cookies? wrap presents? – GO!
But I think it is more important that we stand firm in the faith.
“Woah, Caitlin,” you might be saying, “Just because you’re busy doesn’t mean you’re straying from the faith!”
Eh, not exactly. But consider the following Bible verses:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
“And he [God] said, said, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you [Moses] rest.” – Exodus 33:14
God desires that we slow down and just enjoy time with Him. He wants us to be reading our Bibles, praying, worshiping Him, and fellowshipping with other believers.
He wants us to prioritize what’s important, and not waste time and energy just being busy.
I want to encourage you to slow down this holiday season, just as I am going to try to do, and focus on spending time with God and family. Doing the ‘holiday things’ can be fun and many are important (yes, I do really want to eat on Thanksgiving!) but do we need to do ALL the things? Who are we trying to impress? God is the only One who matters, and He just wants us. He doesn’t need our fine china or perfect house.
First Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
Watch your priorities, friends. Guard them carefully. Please enjoy the holidays. Do all the holiday traditions that mean the most to you. But don’t feel like you need to do ALL the things. Keep Christ first, family second, and all the activities somewhere down the line.
And yes, as Thanksgiving approaches, know that I am extremely grateful for you! Your support means the world to me!
Just out of curiosity, what are some of your favorite holiday traditions? Let me know!
Our Thanksgiving tradition seems to be traveling, since we don’t live near any of our family (an hour is the shortest drive to see family).
For Christmas, most of our traditions involve food. Haha! We cook Breakfast Casserole (more commonly called Potato Casserole) in the Crock Pot overnight, so it’s ready to graze on all day between unwrapping presents. This is something my family did while I was growing up. On Christmas morning, sometime during presents, we bake cinnamon rolls (a tradition from my husband’s family) and a birthday cake for Jesus (because I can never remember to do it BEFORE Christmas Day…)
So happy Thanksgiving, friend! Here is your permission to relax a little bit and check your priorities. 🙂