About the author
Kelly uplifts believers with boosts of faith; be encouraged weekly by getting Kelly’s blog posts by email. Kelly, a cheerleader of faith, is a blogger, national speaker, and author of Take Every Thought Captive, Rest Now, Battle Ready, and Fear Fighting. Kelly loves seeing the power of prayer in action. She loves seeing the expression on women’s faces when they realize – their God is faithful! Kelly’s work has been featured on The Today Show, CBN’s 700 Club, Relevant and Today’s Christian Woman.
Latest writing
July 13, 2026
June 27, 2026
Self-pity can quietly steal our joy and keep us focused on our pain instead of God’s promises. This devotional encourages believers to surrender discouragement to Christ and embrace His invitation to rise with renewed hope, strength, and purpose.
June 9, 2026
Famous Christian prayers last for generations because they help believers bring their needs before God. These prayers endure because they give believers words for surrender, trust, repentance, peace, worship, and dependence on God when our own words feel too small. How does a prayer last decades, centuries even? What makes a needy soul return again and again to words written so long ago? What could they possibly say to us today? Beyond scripture itself, some of life’s most tightly held words are words from old prayers. Many of these historic Christian prayers have endured because they give believers language for worship, surrender, peace, repentance, and trust. These supplications, declarations, and heartfelt intentions resonate deep within a soul and, seemingly, louder in heaven. Why? We will investigate these points.
Prayer matters because Jesus taught His followers to pray, Scripture commands believers to keep praying, and God uses prayer to shape our hearts and circumstances. However, before we do, let’s set a basis for prayer. Clearly, prayer moves mountains (Mt. 17:20). Jesus instructed us to pray (Lu. 11:1-13). Scripture tells us to keep asking, to the point we are persistent about it (Lu 18:1-8). We are to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:16-18). For one who has nothing left to do, prayer always remains the thing to do.
Indeed, God is absolutely sovereign – yet, so is the truth that prayer is extremely effective. It should never be abandoned. Nor should a new theology be adopted before God, who is very patient, has a chance to answer. An important point to remember is that we serve a God who hears, equips, calls, answers, and understands. His timing is perfect.
Prayers bridge the gap between what is and what isn’t, yet. Prayer changes us as God changes our situations. Prayer reorients our lenses just as much as it provides solutions. Some of the most famous prayers endure because they teach us how to surrender control, trust God’s timing, and bring our needs honestly before Him. Prayer refocuses our intentions, motivations, and passions. It aligns us with the Word of God as we agree with God’s Word.
These famous Christian prayers remain meaningful because they teach believers how to seek peace, trust God, surrender control, serve others, and remain close to Christ. Some well-known Christian prayers are remembered because they give anxious hearts words for peace, acceptance, courage, and wisdom. According to ConnectUs, these are the top ten “most famous prayers of all time”.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Thomas Vitali
January 13, 2026
It’s easy to judge others’ worship when it looks different from ours. But what if the thing that annoys us is actually someone else’s freedom in Christ? This story is a powerful reminder to trade our assumptions for grace.
August 15, 2025
Jesus was different than sinners but still got to know them. Do I? Jesus was more holy than these people but spent time with them anyway. Do I? Jesus didn’t relate to sinners on every level but still gave them a chance. Do I?
April 11, 2025
God gives us a choice. We can worry and figure things out without Him or pray and petition Him. One leads to anxiety and fear, while the other offers peace that transcends our carnal mindset.
February 19, 2025
What baits you into arguments? How might God be calling you to let go of your personal defense? Remember: God is with you, even in the heat of a hard moment.
February 6, 2025
Where have you resigned to the idea that God will not show up? Or the belief that if you trust Him – in the long run – you will be put to shame? Why not repent for that mistrust so that you can fully give yourself over to all-out abandoned trust in Jesus?
July 23, 2024
Is there a Bible verse that keeps coming to mind? Are you unable to get it out of your head? Maybe God is putting it there for good reason. Pray and ask Him what He wants you to know.
June 29, 2024
Friends, forgiveness is never merited, hardly deserved, but it is always required. We forgive, just as Jesus forgave us…
June 12, 2024
Often, circumstances, problems, or people can force us to fear. But what we cannot see is always greater than what we do see. God has a plan.
June 6, 2024
What category – heart, soul, mind or strength – do you find it is hard to give God your all? How do you back down, get distracted, give up, or waver?
March 19, 2020
Crosswalk Contributor Clarence L. Haynes Jr. shares with us "God has promised to protect you from things meant to harm you. He will watch over your family. He will provide shelter and safety in times of trouble. He will keep you when you are attacked by the enemy. There are times in life where tragedy may happen in your family...I know from personal experience, as I am sure you do as well. This does not negate the promises of God. Rather, our trials are reminders of the fallen world we live in. When life doesn’t make sense, I pray you would trust God’s heart all the more. He has not forsaken you." -Excerpted from Understanding God's 'Hedge of Protection' over Your Life
The promises of God for our protection are not negated when difficulties arise or our circumstances change. There will be trials in this life and Scripture is clear about that, but the Bible is also clear that God's promises remain true no matter what changes come our way. Even though we will struggle in this life, God's protection over our souls and His promise of eternal life are unwavering. Nothing that happens to us can break God's promise to us. It can be challenging to accept this when we are in the midst of suffering, but we must trust the Lord through all things because He is sovereign and He is present. He is not going anywhere, and in our pain, we should cling to Him and trust Him all the more. The pain in this life reminds us that this life is not all there is and this world will never be perfect, but we have a perfect God who has not left us to our own devices. He remains near to us every day and He wants us to take our worries to Him and to place our faith in Him above all else and everyone else.
Kelly Balarie shares 10 beautiful Bible verses with us about God's protection over us; join us as we gather encouragement from Scripture:
My foot slipped. I couldn't catch myself, not with the bundle of love I had in my hands. I took the fall. Rather than grabbing the railing or even putting a hand down to break the fall, I let my hip hit the stairs - hard. I held on to her.
Child. Must. Be. Safe.
Boom! Boom! Boom! The impact left my hip sore for weeks.
Child. Must. Be. Safe.
She didn't even so much as touch the floor. She was saved. After the thrill of her ride, she got up, laughing, she was scuff-free.
God loves to save us from our worst falls. He lifts us right above them.
Child. Must. Be. Safe.
When you fall down the stairs of life, there is one who will run to your rescue. His name is Deliverer. Fear not, he goes with you.
January 22, 2020