Engagement (31-Day Devotionals for Life): Preparing for Marriage

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Psalm 139:7-10 says, “I can never be lost to Your Spirit! I can never get away from my God! If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, You are there. If I ride the morning winds to the farthest oceans, even there Your hand will guide me, Your strength will support me” (TLB). What assurance can you find in these verses of Scripture when you are feeling as if God has forgotten you?

Writing with such honesty and warmth . . . Liz Edrington shows her anxious readers that the Jesus we meet in Scripture is not an abstract idea but a practical, reliable, and helpful Person. ” Addictions begin with a choice—but come to trap and define you. These daily devotionals refocus us on the God who can restructure lives and disentangle sinners from enslavement. Are you caught in the “voluntary slavery” of pornography addiction? While books and monitoring software may have failed you, Deepak offers a more effective weapon: a greater love for Christ.

Day 6: A Constant Place of Refuge

This devotional points to solid biblical wisdom that will ground readers who feel tossed about by waves of financial woe.” Grief can become suffocating. You long for a friend to help you connect God’s Word with your overwhelming feelings of loss. Bob Kellemen is that friend, skillfully helping readers to rise above their anguish in his remarkable new book. . . . As one who understands loss, I highly recommend it!” But as difficult as this life storm may be, you are not alone. God is with you always. He loves you, and cares about what is going on in your life. He hears your cries and sees your pain. Moreover, He understands. Take from a man his wealth, and you hinder him; take from him his purpose, and you slow him down. But take from man his hope, and you stop him. He can go on without wealth, and even without purpose, for a while. But he will not go on without hope. —C. Neil Strait (1)

In Psalm 138:8, the writer, offering thanksgiving and praise to God, said confidently, “The Lord will work out His plans for my life—for Your loving-kindness, Lord, continues forever.” (TLB). Why not take a few moments to express to God your confidence in Him to work out His plans for your life?In Psalm 56:8 (TLB), David says of God, “You have seen me tossing and turning through the night. You have collected all my tears and preserved them in your bottle! You have recorded every one in your book.” How does it make you feel to know how important your tears are to God?

Donald S. Whitney, Professor of Biblical Spirituality and Associate Dean of the School of Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Author, How Can I Be Sure I’m a Christian?Discuss as a family (or with a friend) how God has worked things out for your good in past times of difficulty.

Regardless of the church, every pastor needs “go-to” resources they can give to those seeking counsel. Enter 31-Day Devotionals for Life. Pray with someone else who shares your sorrow. Take turns praying for one another that God will encourage your hearts and give you hope. Tim Chester, Pastor, Grace Church, Boroughbridge, UK; author, Closing the Window: Steps to Living Porn Free Some years ago, I asked an older pastor what he did when a member approached him for counseling. He responded that once he determined the nature of the problem, he asked the person whether they had sought the Lord about it, and if they had, what that seeking involved. He asked them what Scriptures they had considered and what prayers they had prayed. If they hadn’t sought the Lord, he would compile a list of Scriptures for them to read and pray over and agreed to meet with them once they had completed the assignment.

Day 1: You Are Not Alone

Daily readings articulate perfectly what many pilgrims have been thinking but have been afraid to say aloud. This beautiful, unveiling devotional vividly shows the power of confronting wounds as it exhorts us toward the healing that awaits us in Christ.” In addition to needing God’s presence in our lives, we also need each other. Talk with your family or friends about the way you are feeling, so that you can share one another’s burdens, and not feel so alone in your suffering. Tautges, with vulnerable transparency, offers wise counsel in this small yet critical work on anxiety. . . . His gentle explanations and careful admonitions act as a guard and guide.” My friend Brandon once told me, "When I was growing up, I thought the point of life was to build the biggest database of information about God that I could." So he did. He went to church, read his Bible and studied at a Bible college. He stuffed as much information into himself as possible, but his spiritual life became unbearably dry.