Tag Archives: Hope

Don’t Give Up – Joy Miller

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When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who knows my way. Psalm 142:3

Part of me wanted desperately to be at the writers conference, but another part of me wanted to flee. Adrenaline set every nerve ending on fire. Fear of getting lost on campus or literally trembling in front of someone plagued me. How could I manage a week of meeting with editors and a full schedule of classes while struggling with panic attacks? I felt exhausted before the conference began. I begged God to equip me for the task ahead and I stepped forward in faith that He would help me.

God knows when our spirit grows faint. He sees where we are and is always faithful to minister to our need. He may do it through scriptures, a story of victory, or someone’s prayer of encouragement for us. At the times when God seems absent, things can look very dark and frightening. That’s when the truth of His Word saves us from despair. He is the lifter of our heads. He is our constant companion and comforter.

All of us battle something. It could be illness, job loss, or strife in our family. Whatever it may be, realize you don’t have to remain faint and discouraged. Cry out to God; tell Him about your heartaches and questions. Read the Word and plug into its power. Ask others to pray for you.

God provided for me at the conference. Each day I was given the strength and grace necessary to do what lay before me. Over and over through keynote speeches or personal conversations, I would discover others were dealing with hard, often similar problems. They understood my struggle and could empathize with my pain. They shared with me how God was helping them overcome their trials day by day.

Are you weary today? Will you reach out to God and let Him renew you? If so, you may discover the Lord is already at work using His power and the comfort of others to strengthen you. Please don’t give up. Give thanks, instead.

Joy Miller lives in Central Virginia. She is passionate about volunteering at her local crisis pregnancy center. One of her greatest pleasures comes from encouraging others, both at the center and through writing devotionals and sending notes to loved ones. Having worked at one time at a home improvement store, Joy now has her own interior decorating consulting business. Fun times are spent with friends, her precious niece and nephew, and her beloved golden retriever.
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Step to the Side – She Said

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In Defense of Satan

Words

But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Jude 1:9

Listen to Step to the Side – She Said

Joseph didn’t have a chance. There was no pleasing his associates in the firm. Their habit was to browbeat one another; throw insults and lies. What Joseph saw was a firm falling apart from partners who blamed everyone else for their mishaps.

“It’s all your fault. The company isn’t moving ahead because of you. You’re a detriment to the firm.”

Joseph felt sick. He knew he’d worked hard in the firm, studying, bringing cases before hard judges and winning them but when his associates accused him of being a detriment, he shook his head and walked away.

I’m a peacemaker (and not the one that wears black leather jackets). I’ve never handled conflict well and it’s me who falls in the rubble of those whose opinion weighs heavier. Oh, I state my opinion, make suggestions, but if I’m attacked from the opposition, I tend to walk away. There have been times I’ve felt anger boil beneath the surface as others have hurled insults and hurtful insinuations. My thoughts are, this isn’t my battle, it’s God’s. He knows if I’m right or wrong and in Him I find the protection I need to withstand the attacks.

Even Michael the archangel understood the battle was God’s. He could have let loose with lightening fast accusations against Satan and probably have been in the right, but he didn’t. He stepped to the side and said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

It’s hard for us to walk away from a fight. Our nature leads us to defend our honor regardless of whether we’re right or wrong. I walked away from the hardest battle in my life and chose to say nothing while others made their own decisions about the situation. Folks waited for me to retaliate, but I didn’t. It wasn’t my battle.

There’s something to be said about the archangel’s example in his war of words with Satan. He showed us that even though he may have had just cause, it was God’s place to rebuke.

Walking away from the battle I faced was the best decision I’ve ever made. Think about your battles and your words then step to the side and let God take control.

Read Cindy’s devotions

HE SAID, SHE SAID RADIO IS MOVING TO MONDAY NIGHT…Join us as we delve deeper into the meaning of God’s word and apply it to our own lives.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host Blog Talk Radio’s Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! along with Scott McCausey. And now you can catch them on He Said, She Said Radio. at their new time, MONDAY’S at 6 p.m. (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ).

Do you sense something vital missing from you relationship with your spouse, children, and God?

Try He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion. This compilation of 54 devotions includes scripture verses, space for journaling, individual prayers and words of wisdom from two of today’s funniest and insightful Christian authors. This heart-warming collection of stories will inspire you to reach for the true source of joy: a life lived for and through God. These deeply personal devotions offer biblical insights and spiritual truths from the perspective of one man and one woman.

Vision Check – Jocelyn Green

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Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8

When Rob and I married, we chose the hymn “Be Thou My Vision” to be played while we lit our unity candle. I had always loved the lyrics, but I had no idea how perfect they would prove to be, not just for a single moment during a wedding ceremony, but for the day-to-day military lifestyle I was entering into.

So much of how we think, feel and live depends upon our vision—what we choose to see in any given situation. In fact, I believe that the difference between being simply concerned or being consumed by worry rides on where we tend to focus our sight.

In her book, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, Joanna Weaver says, “Pastor and teacher Gary E. Gilley sums up the difference like this: ‘Worry is allowing problems and distress to come between us and the heart of God. A legitimate concern presses us closer to the heart of God and causes us to lean and trust on Him all the more.’ Concern draws us to God. Worry pulls us from Him” (page 38).

We will always have something to be concerned about. But if we have done everything we can to help solve the problem and still find ourselves obsessing over it, we’ve crossed that line from concern to worry and find ourselves in dangerous territory.

The best way to get rid of the negative thoughts is to crowd them out with something else bigger and more beautiful — worship of the One who holds everything in His powerful and capable hands. In other words, stop focusing on the root of your worries and shift your gaze to the Lord. It won’t make the troubles disappear, but it sure will help you to stop staring at them all day long!

King David was a master at this. In the beginning of Psalm 10, he cries out in anguish to God, but by the end of the chapter, he has turned his worry into worship and praises his Creator once again.

The next time your heart is troubled, check your vision. Focus on God and on His unchanging character. Trust in who He is and the promises He provides in scripture, rather than what is going on around you.

*Adapted by permission from Faith Deployed…Again: More Daily Encouragement for Military Wives (Moody 2011).

Jocelyn Green, the wife of a former Coast Guard officer, is an award-winning author, freelance writer, and editor. Along with contributing writers, she is the author of Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives (Moody 2008), and Faith Deployed . . . Again: More Daily Encouragement for Military Wives (Moody 2011). She is also co-author of Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from the War in Iraq/Afghanistan (AMG Publishers 2009). She is the chief editor for www.WivesinBloom.com, the online magazine of Christian Military Wives (a branch of Christian Military Fellowship) and a contributor to the website www.StartMarriageRight.com. Jocelyn graduated from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, with a B.A. in English, concentration in writing. She is a frequent speaker at military wife events, women’s church groups, and writers conferences, and is an active member of the Evangelical Press Association, Christian Authors Network, the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and the Military Writers Society of America.

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Prodigal? Me? – She Said

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Teach Your Children

Prodigal? ME? – She Said

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

Listen to Prodigal? Me – She Said

“We’re all prodigals, aren’t we?”

The Sunday morning message blared from the television. I dropped a tissue into the trash. My head throbbed and my body ached from the flu and I wasn’t sure I could listen to this hell-fire and damnation preacher scream at me. Chills crawled up my arms as the country pastor slammed his hand on the pulpit. “It’s true. We are all prodigals.”

I covered my head with the pillow, wishing I could will the remote into my hand. I’m not a prodigal. Not by any means. I pray every day and try to be the person God wants me to be; honest, truthful, loving. No. I’m not a prodigal.

There might have been a time I wandered but never very far. Maybe I questioned, but not very hard. Things were…well…status quo. My love for Christ never faltered…it just wasn’t pressing.

I sat straight up in the bed.

“Oh my gosh. I was a prodigal.”

Sometimes our view of God becomes so skewed by the world we wander away, searching for anything that might fill the void in our lives; never seeing the loving God who waits.

I was raised in the church and though my love for Christ never died, I succumbed to the world for a time…searching. At thirty-six I sat teaching a young adult Sunday school class. “How active are you in Christ’s life?” I asked. Then it hit me. Not very, but He was certainly active in mine. I was a prodigal. That was the turning point in my Christian life. I grasped hold of what I’d been taught and crawled home.

Solomon understood we eventually return to what we are taught. It never really leaves us, we just shove it away for a time. His words were not only a warning but an encouragement to parents. Teach them and they will not turn from it. We have sons who, like me for a time, search to fill the void. They’ve been raised beneath the wing of Christ. They’re fine young men and though their love for Christ has not died…they wander. We pray daily they will remember and not turn from the love of Christ but become active in Him again.

Raise them up in the ways of Christ. A time will come when they wander and seek. Eventually what they’ve been taught will resurface. God will work in their prodigal hearts and they will become active in Him. My job? To pray without ceasing.

Read Cindy’s devotions

HE SAID, SHE SAID RADIO IS MOVING TO MONDAY NIGHT…Join us as we delve deeper into the meaning of God’s word and apply it to our own lives.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host Blog Talk Radio’s Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! along with Scott McCausey. And now you can catch them on He Said, She Said Radio. at their new time, MONDAY’S at 6 p.m. (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ).

Do you sense something vital missing from you relationship with your spouse, children, and God?

Try He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion. This compilation of 54 devotions includes scripture verses, space for journaling, individual prayers and words of wisdom from two of today’s funniest and insightful Christian authors. This heart-warming collection of stories will inspire you to reach for the true source of joy: a life lived for and through God. These deeply personal devotions offer biblical insights and spiritual truths from the perspective of one man and one woman.

He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion
by Cindy Sproles & Eddie Jones

That's Why They Call It Making Love: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion

Print version $9.95
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NOOK eBook $2.99

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Follow Me – Venita McCart

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Jesus said, “If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness because you have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12 NLT

“Stay behind me. Grab on to my belt loop and follow my footsteps,” said Gary. I considered the pitch-black night sky and thick wooded forest and willingly walked behind him, seeing only his light shining on the trail ahead. Occasionally he stopped to cut branches, step over logs, or calculate surroundings. Finally we sat. “Now we wait for daylight,” he said.

Within moments there was sudden movement in the quiet; a wild turkey’s wings beat the air above me and with a powerful whoosh, swooped down from a tree close behind me with a jarring thud. My heart pounded, I jumped, and the bird quietly sauntered away. I was on full alert then, when the supposed sound of a man walking revealed a large turkey crossing on a distant ridge, a stunning silhouette against the backdrop of dawn. He walked toward me. I was mesmerized as he broke into thunderous full-throttle gobbles and a massive fan strut-dance. What a show.

I was perplexed by our dangerous return out of the woods. We traveled a rugged trail past masses of rusty barbed wire, downed trees, and snake dens; edged a high ridge between deep ravines, and skirted a narrow path around a black hole of water. Finally I asked, “Why are we taking a different route out?”

“This is the way we came in,” Gary said.

I was incredulous. I had followed him through dark rugged dangers, unaware; then within moments was given a glimpse of God’s splendor. His leading and my trust had kept me safe, and then amazed me.

I thought of that day many times after diagnosis. Life is dark in the unknown rugged terrain of cancer. When I could not see ahead, fearful and weary of the disease, Jesus said, “Follow me.” I focused more on my Bible and prayer. He has shown many wonders.

Our ultimate Guide knows the way through cancer and willingly leads His followers with His word to keep us safe, sane, and reveal the light that leads to life. Won’t you grab deeper into His word and allow Him to lead you through your journey?

Venita McCart, founder of Faith Force Cancer Support Ministries has, with her group, ministered to hundreds of patients since 2005 through group meetings, personal contacts, writing, and speaking. A cancer survivor herself, Venita is currently working on materials to comfort and encourage cancer patients, their loved ones and to help others create support ministries for the same. She and her husband live in central Illinois. Venita may be reached at venitamccart@yahoo.com.
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Got Fuzz? – Laurinda Wallace

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Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. 1 John 2:15-17 (NLT)

It was a laundry accident. It wasn’t the same magnitude as a pink underwear incident—but it did involve a fuzzy pink robe. Without thinking, I tossed the robe into the washer at the last minute. When I pulled the clothes out to put them in the dryer, pink fuzz covered my black pants and shirt. Ugh!

The world has a way of attaching its fuzz to us. It clings easily to our hearts and they become divided. We lose our focus on what’s eternally important to run after physical pleasures, accumulating stuff, and feeling pretty good about that stuff. John tells us these pursuits are not from God. This fading world offers nothing of value in the spiritual realm and no satisfaction in the physical. Who has enough money or possessions? Don’t we want just a little bit more?

The problem is this—we can’t love both the world and our Heavenly Father. In fact, John tells us that we don’t have His love in us if we’re consumed with chasing after the world. We often straddle the fence, trying to be spiritual enough while keeping our hand in the world’s cookie jar. God wants and deserves our whole-hearted devotion, not just the leftovers. The pink fuzz shows up all too clearly in our lives through our desire for possessions, position, and how we spend our money.

It took awhile to get the fuzz off all those clothes—another washing and some Scotch tape helped me remove the stubborn fibers. It was worth it, because I really wanted to wear those black Capri’s again. It’s the same with our hearts. It takes time and perseverance to reshape our worldly desires into godly ones. Knowing that it’s God’s will gives me encouragement to press on. It’s God’s will for you too. The rewards ahead are well worth our efforts.

Laurinda Wallace lives in the beautiful high desert of southeast Arizona with her husband David. Besides being the office manager for her church, she is a freelance writer and has published numerous magazine articles and devotionals. She is currently working on a mystery series set in her hometown area of Western New York. Laurinda and her husband have two grown daughters and twin grandsons, who are amazing miracles of God’s grace.
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A Smack Upside the Head – Kevin Spencer

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But if one of you has enough money to live well, and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help—how can God’s love be in that person? 1st John 3:17

The jangling of Salvation Army kettle bell ringers competed, ironically, with the music of Jingle Bells, as the sounds of the season flooded the Wal-Mart parking lot. I really didn’t want to be here with Charlotte, Caleb, and Father Kirby, and what seemed to be every man, woman, and child in greater Middle Tennessee, but at the least, the Christmas shopping was over, and we could go back home.

I was just fastening my seat belt and setting the key in the ignition when a rap-rap-rap came at my window. A man in frayed and faded overalls and a blue plaid flannel shirt, also frayed, stood at my window. I pushed the button to lower the window.

Before the window was halfway down, Mr. Overalls started in on his spiel. He sounded just like Larry the Cable Guy as he rolled his hard luck story of being stranded with a broken car and his wife and kids, and how another kind stranger had put his family and him up for the night at a local motel. He needed money to get the car fixed, he said, and to feed his family for the night.

It was a practiced spiel. Or it sounded practiced to me. I asked him what was wrong with his car. This seemed to throw him off stride, and he mumbled something about a 4-wheel drive being converted to a 2-wheel and…he kind of trailed off toward the end. Abruptly, I told him to call the local Red Cross or a local church; maybe they could help him. I rolled the window up, backed out of the parking space, and headed out of the parking lot.

That’s when the Lord nudged me. A hard nudge, more like a smack upside the head, really. “That money in your wallet is mine,” he reminded me. “I’m just letting you use it.” That was true. The jobs we had were just the spigots He used to dispense His money to us. “And,” he said, “if I wanted that man to have some of my money that you are carrying around, who are you to say no?”

I turned the car around and headed back to Wal-Mart.

“Did you forget something?” Charlotte asked.

“Yeah,” I replied. “I forgot I was a Christian.” I cruised the parking lot until I found Mr. Overalls. He shuffled up to the car window and I pulled some money out of my wallet. Pressing it into his hand, I said “God loves you.” He started in on what I’m sure was a practiced thank you spiel, but I cut him off.

“God loves you,” I repeated. “Remember this, and help someone else when you get a chance.” It wasn’t what I really wanted to say, but then I haven’t had much practice with face-to-face charity. Evidently it’s something I’m supposed to work on.

In this case it wasn’t up to me to judge the man’s truthfulness. God would handle that, in time. I was simply supposed to do what He had told me to do: Give, with love. It took me a couple of tries and a smack upside the head, but at least I eventually got it right.

Kevin Spencer lives in Tennessee with his beautiful wife Charlotte and grandson Caleb. He is a staff writer for ChristianDevotions.us. A former prodigal son, Kevin is now trying to use the gifts God gave him, and by the grace of God has a life far better than he ever deserved.

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Walking With Christ – Barbara Duram

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Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4

My diagnosis had finally been confirmed. It had taken five months as my family and my church prayed for me. The diagnosis was changed from a dormant type of lymphoma to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and chemotherapy seemed to be the most effective treatment. The prognosis was good but chemo scared me to death. I’d heard all the bad stuff chemo caused… sickness, nausea, fatigue, and loss of hair. It sounded so bad but all I knew to do was pray. So I did.

The first treatment was scheduled and I saw my doctor first. He reassured me whatever side effects I faced he could counteract with medication. Still, fear grew faster than the cancer. Eventually I realized God had brought me this far and He wouldn’t leave me just when things got tough.

Hooked to IV’s in the infusion chair, the medicines that would cure my cancer dripped slowly into my veins. It took all day but I got through just fine. “Piece of cake,” I said. “I can do this.”

My treatments were scheduled twenty-one days apart. There would be one week of fatigue, then two weeks when I would feel better. The first two treatments were easy, but the third one left me tired and nauseated. It seemed as though the three weeks of recovery would never end and neither did my prayers. And they paid off because I was able to spend Thanksgiving with my family.

This whole incident reminds me of the poem, “Footsteps in the Sand,” where God walks beside me during my life but when it gets tough, He carries me. I know God is carrying me right now. I am halfway through my treatments and with each one, it gets a little harder. But I know God will never leave me. He will be with me, whether He is walking beside me or carrying me.

Have you ever felt afraid or alone going through a trial? Let God walk along with you. You are His child and He loves you so much. When things get tough, He’ll pick you right up and carry you through it.

Barbara Duram is a retired Human Resources Assistant, grandmother, served in various women’s fellowship positions at church including circle chairman and retreat chairman. Read Barbara’s devotions.

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100 Reasons for Integrity – She Said

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One Hundred Reasons for Integrity – She Said

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. Proverbs 10:9 NIV

Listen to 100 Reasons for Integrity- She Said

It looked like a $1 bill under the seat in front of me. I slid my foot forward and snagged the bill pulling it toward my fingers. “Well, look at that. A $1.00…woah…$100 dollar bill.” Wow, I thought, this could reimburse part of my airfare.

It would have been nice but it wasn’t my money. I guessed man in front of me dropped it so Imotioned to flight attendant. “Is the man in the seat in front of me coming back?”

She glanced to the rear of the plane. “I think that’s him back there.”

I opened my fist and exposed the money. “I think he lost this.”

The flight attendant’s eyes widened. “I’ll ask.” She to walked to the man and immediately he began to pat his trousers and poke in his jacket pocket. Within minutes he stood next to me in the plane.

“The flight attendant said you found something that belonged to me.”

I grinned. “Can you identify the object?”

“I believe his name is Benjamin Franklin.” I slipped the $100 bill into his hand.

“Thank you so much. You could have kept that you know.”

“It wasn’t mine to keep.” He sat in the seat across the aisle and we chatted for most of the flight. Just before we deplaned, I gave him a business card. “Join the devotions. You’ll enjoy them.”

The writer of Proverbs penned a wealth of wisdom for us to glean. Some, simple common sense and others solid life standards. He reminded us integrity walks securely and dishonestly catches up. But the walk of integrity is not a hop, skip and a jump. It’s wrought with temptations that are sometimes much easier to grasp than not. I could have kept the money and never uttered a word but it was a matter of integrity. I had an idea who the money belonged to and keeping it was as good as stealing.

The man walked away and I sang Que sera sera then waved goodbye to an easy $100. I could have kept it and no one would have been the wiser. Months later a letter came to our ministry mail box. Inside, a business card and a check for $100 along with a sticky note . “100 reasons for integrity. Use as you see fit.”

It wasn’t hard to see the joy of walking in integrity. The reward far exceeded the $100 check. It carried with it the thrill of knowing God was pleased.

When you’re tempted to walk the crooked path, choose integrity. Your reward may not be 100 reasons for integrity but the joy and pleasure you bring to the Father is well worth the choice.

Read Cindy’s devotions

HE SAID, SHE SAID RADIO IS MOVING TO MONDAY NIGHT…Join us as we delve deeper into the meaning of God’s word and apply it to our own lives.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host Blog Talk Radio’s Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! along with Scott McCausey. And now you can catch them on He Said, She Said Radio. at their new time, MONDAY’S at 6 p.m. (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ).

Do you sense something vital missing from you relationship with your spouse, children, and God?

Try He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion. This compilation of 54 devotions includes scripture verses, space for journaling, individual prayers and words of wisdom from two of today’s funniest and insightful Christian authors. This heart-warming collection of stories will inspire you to reach for the true source of joy: a life lived for and through God. These deeply personal devotions offer biblical insights and spiritual truths from the perspective of one man and one woman.

He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion
by Cindy Sproles & Eddie Jones

That's Why They Call It Making Love: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion

Print version $9.95
Kindle eBook $2.99
NOOK eBook $2.99

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Clutter – Andrea Merrell

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But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner. I Corinthians 14:40 NASU

I have a confession. I am a stack-a-holic—a bonafide, 100% stack-a-holic in desperate need of finding a Stack-a-holics Anonymous.

This disease permeates my home and my office at work. When I don’t know what to do with something, it goes in a neat (or sometimes not so neat) stack.

Whoever coined the phrase “outta sight-outta mind” must have been related to me. When papers go into one of my stacks instead of a file or the trash, my intentions are to look at them later when I have more time. The problem is I never seem to have (or take) the time and the stack grows higher and higher until it’s ready to topple onto the floor.

With my basic perfectionist tendencies and my need for structure and organization, this malady drives me nuts. It’s my Achilles Heel—my thorn in the flesh. Trying to function in the midst of clutter is like cooking in a dirty kitchen—can’t do it.

As I get older, I realize how many times I’ve let other things pile up in my life—important issues such as asking forgiveness, making amends, or dealing with a critical attitude. Sometimes when God says, “Do this” or “Do that,” it’s easier to push it aside and put it in a stack to deal with later.

When I finally get around to de-stacking, it feels great. It gives me a sense of satisfaction and a large dose of peace. Dealing with spiritual matters and being obedient to the Lord’s promptings gives me the same feeling—only better. Makes me wonder why in the world I wait so long.

The Bible says all things must be done “properly and in an orderly manner.” If you’re dealing with natural or spiritual clutter, don’t wait. Attack it today and enjoy the freedom that will follow. God will be pleased and you will be too.

Andrea Merrell lives in the upstate of South Carolina and is a freelance writer and editor with a passion to help others see God’s Word as practical and relevant for ordinary, everyday life. Andrea is a staff writer and Associate Editor for www.ChristianDevotions.us. She is a contributing writer and copy editor for www.DevoKids.com.  Her work has been published in Spirit & Heart: A Devotional Journey, Faith & Finances: In God We Trust, The Write Life, and Extraordinary Answers to Prayer. She also writes for www.cornerstonegreenville.com. Visit her website at www.andreamerrell.com.

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