The Word of God is wonderful in that it gives us examples of how to do the things that we as Christians are called to do!

One of these things is fasting. We are called to fast, and there are examples for us within the scriptures that give us a blueprint on how to do it. A widely known fast that many Christians have either heard of or have already implemented into their spiritual lives, is the Daniel Fast.

What is the Daniel Fast and how is it different from different fasts? Here’s what you need to know about this particular fast and the man who inspired it.

Photo by Bryan Apen on Unsplash

In my church, my pastors give so much of themselves to the body. Let’s pray for our pastors on a consistent basis. Let’s cover them fervently.

One morning during a recent quiet time, I was meditating on 1 Corinthians 13:4. The verse struck my heart in such a profound way. The scripture, according to the King James Version, reads: “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up…”. The NKJV version reads like this: “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up…”

Immediately, the Holy Spirit brought to my attention that long-suffering was front and center. This is not meant a mere coincidence but was intentionally written.

Often times when we think about love, suffering isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Usually, we’ll think about eros love, which is the lovey-dovey emotions of tenderness with our significant other. Or perhaps we’ll think about philia love, the love we share for our good friends, and we’ll envision making lasting memories with the people dearest to us.

Suffering isn’t always something we immediately or naturally relate to love.

The more we look at the Word of God, the more we can see in plain view that suffering is par for the course if we want the love of God to be in our hearts, to transform us, and to be present in our deepest relationships. And in those ways, suffering can be a gift.

"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead." James 2:26

I’m a visionary by nature – I love to dream. If you ask me what things I dream about the church, for my marriage, my daughters, and myself, I wouldn't hesitate for a split second to tell you! I have faith in so many things, even things possibly deemed crazy and impossible by other people. I believe Scripture with my whole heart, so I believe that the way God says things should be can actually happen, regardless of what I see around me.

But if I'm being honest, walking by faith and not by sight is downright difficult at times. What I see can be very different from God’s way. I have to be the one to bring myself into alignment with God, not the other way around. I find myself in a daily war (like every true believer does) between my flesh and my spirit! But I try to give myself grace because I know that I'm still growing and still learning. I'm still running my race, and I don't plan to stop striving in my pursuit of Christ (Philippians 3:14).

We must hold strong to our faith because it is the very thing that leads us towards the things we hope for. It's the thing that keeps us moving forward, even if that movement seems slow and uneventful. Why? Because "faith without works is dead," (James 2:26). It's as dead as dead can get. Faith is designed to always spur us on to obedience in Christ and to be like he was. It is the "evidence of things that we do not see," (Hebrews 11:1).

Discover why James 2:17 tells us that "Faith Without Works Is Dead" from this video and our list of important reasons below!

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Vladislav Nikono

The wonderful thing about God’s word is that it is so powerful in changing everything about our lives!

“Yet she will be saved through childbearing – if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.”1 Timothy 2:15

I love stories of redemption. Stories of recovery and rescue. The bible is exactly that – a beautiful love story of redemption. Of God reconciling the creation that he made in awe and wonder, back to himself, through Christ.

In 1 Timothy 2, there’s a part of Scripture that speaks of the redemption of women through childbirth. I’d like to unpack this passage because I believe it is rich with knowledge about the Father’s heart for women and who he has innately made us to be.

Photo Credit: Unsplash / Zahed Ahmad

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

If there are two things that I am well acquainted with, it's weakness and fear. I know what it's like to feel weak. And I also know what it's like to look fear in the eyes, and with everything in me, want to run in the opposite direction.

But glory to God, fear and weakness aren’t our inheritance. We read over and over again in the Bible that when it comes to fear, there shouldn't be anything that we fear more than God. And this fear isn’t a dreadful anxiousness. It’s a reverent, awe-like fear that is motivated from wanting to please him. Because we know He is our strong tower. He is our protection. He fights for us. He created all things, so having him on our side is a sure win in every situation we face.

God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous in the face of an enemy that would have made Joshua tremble with weakness and fear if it had not been for God’s powerful reminder of His presence and power. Let’s read on to see how God meets our weakness and fear with His strength and might.