Category: Devotion

Lord, protect me.  Protect my mouth from speaking hatred or spewing meanness.  Protect my heart from exposure to the things which stain.  Protect my mind, that I will think good things which bring You glory, Lord.  Protect my spirit, that I will not allow those who mean evil to beat me down.  Protect me, Lord, that I may serve you.

We don’t often consider how exposed we can be.  We too easily allow others to influence our hearts and our minds.  We give control to those who should not be allowed to have control over us.  We allow ourselves to be manipulated without ever realizing it has happened.  Before we know it, we are not the people we sought to be.  We don’t realize how much protection we really do need.  But God does.  And so many times, we read how the Psalmist does.  

When we are in times of physical war, we seek protection.  When we clearly see the enemy, we become defensive and ready – prepared for what is ahead.  But when the enemy sneaks into our lives undetected, we are unprepared.  We miss how we have allowed others to control our attitude or steal our joy.  We don’t recognize when we have lost all sense of who we are and given ourselves to things which are unhealthy (spiritually, physically, and emotionally).  We miss it because this evil is hidden among the good. 

So today, we seek protection.  May God protect us from those things which we do not see or recognize, but that harm us in so many ways.  May God give us clean and fresh air to breathe so that we might see him.  May God cover us with his wings so that we are not exposed to the harshness that can so easily surround us.  May God protect our hearts, our mouths, our spirits, that we will be the instruments of his peace and love.  And may we live, truly live, protected by the hand of the Almighty God.

Focus Scripture:

Psalm 141:8-10

⁸ But my eyes are turned toward you, O God, my Lord;
    in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenseless.
⁹ Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me,
    and from the snares of evildoers.
¹⁰ Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
    while I alone escape.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

There are times it is simply enough to know that God is the God of Hope.  There must be.  When we don’t have the answers, when we don’t understand the outcome, when we don’t get what is going on – our only hope is found in God.  It doesn’t take away our hurt.  It doesn’t fix things.  This isn’t some magic potion that clears everything up and all is well.  It also isn’t some pie-in-the-sky thinking either.  We don’t live well without hope and our hope cannot be placed in the hands of any other.  We cannot move forward without hope, but we cannot look elsewhere for hope or we will be let down.  Hope is only found in the God who created it all, including us.  And since he created it all, he certainly can be a resting place for our hope.  

Hope in God transcends our circumstances.  Hope in God illuminates our path and reminds us we are not alone.  Hope in God gives us the courage to take one more step when we feel too frightened to even lift our foot – as if we were stuck in cement and it had already hardened around us.  

As we enter the holiday season, there is so much to celebrate.  There is so much to look forward to discovering.  There are good times ahead.  But that doesn’t mean we will all celebrate.  It doesn’t mean the holiday season is great for us all.  It doesn’t mean there aren’t people struggling with grief, loneliness, fear, and hurt.  That’s all the more real than the celebrations for so many.  And this year everything seems to be amplified.  

But what isn’t lost in it all is hope.  It isn’t a hope in things getting better.  It isn’t a hope we will get what we want.  It isn’t a hope in people or places or situations.  Hope is found in God who reminds us that no matter what, there is always a reason to take one more step.  There is always a reason to pick up your head and see his glory.  There is always a reason to lift your eyes to the hills – that really is where your help comes from.  If God made the heavens and the earth – if he cared enough to make you – then he cares enough to provide you a wellspring of hope.  

May your heart be lifted ever so gently to the God of Hope.  May he surprise you with glimmers of goodness.  May your spirits find rest and strength so hope can be discovered, one more time.

Focus Scripture: 

Psalm 121

¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills—
    from where will my help come?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ He who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
⁸ The Lord will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time on and forevermore.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

How many times can I possibly start over?  As I headed out for my walk/jog this morning, I couldn’t help but laugh a little – Day One AGAIN.  I can’t tell you how many times I have begun the count.  I train for something and either the event happens or I get sidelined.  So, I start again.  In this latest case, I was doing so well at running a little every day.  And then…I fell.  I fell hard and that took a toll on my body for a few days.  I am fine.  All heals and I move forward.  So I look out at the morning sky and start Day One, one more time.  And it is okay.

We have lots of Day One events in our lives.  We begin a new health journey – then a holiday comes or a special event or there are cookies in the house.  So we start over again the next day.  We decide we will make a change for the better that will improve our health.  We do so well until we don’t.  So we start again, again, and again.  We decide we will improve our spiritual health and we begin that journey.  Sometimes it takes and sometimes it doesn’t.  

Life can feel like a whole bunch of Day One starts.  And these can be seen from a couple of different perspectives.  It can be completely and utterly frustrating.  How many times can we actually mess up?  How many times will I get hurt before I just quit starting again?  Do we really care about eating well anyway?  Why not just give up on this whole journey anyway?  That’s one approach – but it sure isn’t all that helpful.  It really just digs our hole of despair a little deeper.  

Our other option is to look at this as a gift.  We get the privilege to start again.  We have an amazing opportunity to make a difference one more time.  We cannot worry about tomorrow.  Past failures are just that – PAST.  What we have is today – Day One – and it is good.  Day One means we start clean and fresh.  There is an excitement that promises are ahead.  Possibilities are ever before us.  It won’t be easy, but it won’t be accomplished without a Day One.  So, get up and get started.  This IS a new Day One!  And I can’t wait to see what it holds.  

May you find joy in your Day One.  May you be filled with hope no matter where your journey takes you.  May you find peace as you seek to do what is good, right, just, and loving.  Now, get up and start your Day One!

Today’s focus scripture is God’s Day One for each of us- and it is quite amazing.

Focus Scripture:

Genesis 2:4b-7

In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, ⁵ when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground; ⁶ but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground— ⁷ then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

There are simple pleasures we miss because we can “buy” it.  Last night, we were watching the traditional Christmas movies that bring so much joy.  One of the advertisements was for a brand of cinnamon rolls.  The instantly brought back childhood memories of Sunday mornings.  My mom would pop those in the oven and when they came out, icing would run down their warm sides.  It was a big hunk of goodness.  Just looking at the commercial made me want cinnamon rolls again (so yes, the advertiser was completely successful).  Wendy started to look up recipes for me.  As a vegan, it is challenging to find pre-made food that doesn’t contain dairy.  The search began.  It wasn’t long before she discovered an easy recipe with simple ingredients we had at home.  Baking as much as I have lately does lend itself to having the right ingredients.  I decided I would get up this morning and make them.

Now, I could have simply gone to the store and bought the product.  It would have taken much less time.  But I would have missed the simple joys of the process.  I would have missed watching the yeast activate.  I would have missed rolling out the dough and sprinkling on the sugar and cinnamon.  I would have missed cutting them and placing them in the container.  But mostly, I would have missed the joy of just seeing it all come together in such an exciting way.  I would have missed the process.

There are so many things we can just buy.  We don’t have to put much of any effort into anything.  Someone else will do all the work for us.  But we miss something when we buy it in the store.  We miss the experiences that our parents and grandparents had.  We miss watching dough being formed right beneath our fingers.  We miss seeing the success of something we had a part.  I do understand that we are all time crunched.  And there are some amazing bakers that are local we should absolutely support.  But maybe, just on occasion, we take the time to do it ourselves.  We may find simple joys in the process we would have missed.  And we may find goodness waiting right around the corner that we didn’t even have to buy.

Focus Scripture:

Genesis 1:29-31

²⁹ God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. ³⁰ And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. ³¹ God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

Our phones and computers almost demand upgrades.  They seem to crash and act up if we are not willing to comply.  Alerts flash on our screen demanding our attention.  Sometimes, we don’t want to upgrade.  Sometimes, we like the way things already are.  We know how the system works.  We like how our phone operates.  We don’t want more features or whatever special items they are taunting us with.  We simply want it to stay the same.  Except, this isn’t an option.  You will upgrade or they will shut you down.

When we finally press the button and the update takes place or we finally buy the upgrade, there are many things we will find frustrate us.  Where is THAT button I always use?  Why does it make me do this NOW?  Why am I required to do this when I never have before?  We can get frustrated.  But inevitably, there are always little things which we enjoy, that we find we are really excited to see.  So there are positives and negatives.  We just wish we could have it the way it was before the changes.

I feel like this about Thanksgiving.  We are forced to upgrade.  We can’t help it.  There isn’t anything we did to make it this way.  And, it is not all bad.  There are some really awesome new features.  But we really just want it the way it was.  We move forward with what we have, though.  This Thanksgiving, I received a special gift – the upgrade I didn’t know would happen, but was glad to see the result.  

My Grandma is no longer able to cook like she once did.  She is an outstanding cook.  Her cakes, pies and goodies are so good your stomach growls just walking in her home.  She has cooked these sweet treats for longer than I have been alive.  The memories of her goodies lining her spare bedroom is one I will always treasure.  But that isn’t where we are now.  I have a Thanksgiving tradition of eating an entire Sweet Potato Pie that she makes every year.  Note: Don’t judge my tradition and I won’t judge yours.  The Pie is amazing and I devour it annually (often I get one at Christmas too, but that’s my business).  At lunch not too long ago, Grandma broke the news that she would not be able to make my pie.  In my usual stubbornness, I told her she was wrong and there would be pie.  She proceeded to tell me why she was right – I interjected with a solution.  She would supervise, tell me the ingredients, and I would be her hands.  And that’s exactly what we did.  I have a Sweet Potato Pie this Thanksgiving.  But even more important than the pie, I spent time with my precious Grandma, soaking up her wisdom of cooking.  Thanksgiving 2.0 isn’t all bad.

This Thanksgiving, you may find a lot looks different and you don’t like it.  But find the treasures hidden in the upgrade.  They are always there, even if they seem minor.  We might find that the gifts of Thanksgiving shine a bit brighter in the most unusual of times.

Happy Thanksgiving to YOU!  I am grateful for you.  I appreciate your time to read the Devotion.  It means more to me than you know.

Blessings to you all.

Focus Scripture:

1 Thessalonians 5:18

¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

I had someone tell me yesterday that the word of the year is ‘pivot’ due to all the changes we have to accommodate.  This is even more evident as we head into Thanksgiving.  I hear the lament of so many, and I am with you.  Thanksgiving is not as it should be.  People should not gather together – something that this holiday is built upon.  It is not safe to sit around the table – the basic premise of it all.  It seems out of sorts, even uncomfortable.  One approach is to buck the entire system and do it anyway.  The problem is that people’s lives could be at stake – for a meal.  This hardly seems logical, even for Thanksgiving feasts.  Another option is to scale it down and cover it up.  Have fewer people over and wear masks as much as possible.  Or we could simply eat at home with the people we see all the time.  I must say none of these options are particularly appealing.  They are frustrating.  Plans change and we don’t like it.  

We could sit around ticked off all day today, tomorrow, and for a while.  We could complain on social media about how mad we are.  We could take out our frustrations on the leaders that are trying to keep us safe.  We could kick, scream and throw a tantrum (I see some of y’all do that on social media – it’s ugly).  OR…and get this…we could simply GIVE THANKS.  I know, it may sound corny.  But is the food all there is to this holiday?  Is the fellowship all this holiday is really about?  Maybe this year is a reprieve where we can reconsider what it really means to give thanks.  Maybe this year we roll with the punches and come out stronger, more appreciative for the time we have been given.  Maybe, we simply live grateful.

Living grateful is not as simple as it seems.  Too often, we are driven by greed or selfishness.  We live in a constant state of want.  Even when we try to think of others, we are met with comparison and envy.  To live grateful means we simply look at all we have been given and find a point of contentment.  Wherever we are and whatever we have, to be content.  When we reach a point of contentment, we begin to find we can give.  We can serve.  We can help others.  We can give thanks.  We don’t need any more than what we have.  We likely don’t even need all we have.  When we live grateful, our perspective begins to shift to helping others rather than taking something for ourselves.  We begin to be thankful for the simplest but most precious gifts in our lives.  And in turn, we give.

Rather than complain, may we give thanks.  Instead of whining, may we see all we have.  Instead of yelling at others, may we express thanksgiving.  May we give rather than take.  May we love rather than hate.  May we find contentment and share with others.  And my we have an outstanding Thanksgiving – living grateful.

Focus Scripture:

Philippians 4:11-13

¹¹ Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. ¹² I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. ¹³ I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

There is always a message in coffee.  It can be simply a morning smile in a simple cup.  It can also be the message of the cup.  Today, as I was searching for my cup of the day, the ‘kind heart’ mug stuck out to me.  At this point in my life, the coffee cups I have kept have meaning.  Either the message on the cup is a reminder or the giver of it.  Each time I am greeted with a message as I drink in the goodness.  

I need reminders along the way.  I need cues to help me remember.  I wouldn’t say I am forgetful.  Rather, I find I am overloaded.  The things that often scream loudest for my attention are the things that embed in my memory.  But these aren’t always the things I wish to store.  So I have little things along the way to remind me of the good.  My coffee cups are just an example.  

Now is the time when we really begin paying special attention to memories.  The holidays are upon us.  We may find ourselves filling trees with ornaments of years past.  We may be cooking recipes of those long gone but not forgotten.  Thanksgiving is, in itself, a whole big light show of remembering.  We are to remember all we are grateful.  We are to give thanks for those people, places, and experiences which have helped to shape and form who we are.  We are to live thankfully for all that is behind and all that is ahead.  It is a holiday built on remembering.  It is one big cue to remember.

Here is something to remember today – something to carry with you.  YOU ARE LOVED…YOU ARE NOT ALONE.  That is something to put on your coffee cup or hang over your mirror.  It is something you should carry with you every day.  Why?  We should remember this because it is true.  It is right.  It is real.  Remember that God created you, shaped you, formed you.  He has not left you alone on the journey.  That is something to remember and something for which to give thanks!  

Focus Scripture:

Psalm 77:11-12

¹¹ I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord;
    I will remember your wonders of old.
¹² I will meditate on all your work,
    and muse on your mighty deeds.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

This weekend was full of adventures I treasure.  I am grateful for friendships, time in God’s good creation, and even a little rest.  Yesterday, I decided it would be good to take my buddy, Leo, to the Cliffs for a walk.  I cannot recall him ever being quite so excited.  He actually ran in place right in front of his leash – as if that was carrying him somewhere.  He was beyond ecstatic.  I knew I was in for an adventure from the beginning.  

We headed to the Cliffs, windows down, Leo’s jaws flapping ever so happily in the wind.  I did have a goal of how many miles I wanted to complete and planned to take it easy.  I did a lot on Saturday (at least for me) and this was a recovery.  Not much ever goes according to plan in my world.  But we arrived and began our trek.  It was an absolutely amazing day to be outside, so no complaints there at all.  We took the first trail, connected to the second, and I thought it would be good to end with one more.  Note – anytime I think I should do one more, it is almost always one too many.  We took a trail I had not been on in a while – and couldn’t remember where it took me – and couldn’t remember how long it was.  It ended up taking me further than I planned and felt like it would never end.  We pressed on anyway – like we had a choice.  I’m too stubborn to turn around.  

This particular trail merges with other trails.  The rising waters of the Neuse shut down some of the paths.  So I opted for the one that went up.  That’s all good unless you just want to be back at your car.  That’s when it happened.  I don’t remember why or how, I just remember the slow, painful motion that left me face down in the dirt.  Some say that falling is the easy part – but I am not so sure.  I felt like I bounced off the ground and hit again.  Leo felt sorry for me, came back to rescue me, and I attempted to get up.  All I could think was how embarrassing it would be to lay on this trail until someone made their way.  Thankfully I was able to get up, but not without some serious effort and feeling really beat up.  Did I mention we were on the trail going up?  That was fun.  We did make it back to the car, eventually.  And I am still moving – just slowly.

I was reminded on my adventure that falling down does hurt.  It hurts when we have plans and all is moving along well – only to be met with a sudden crash that derails our entire vision.  It is painful to move through life only to be knocked down by forces we cannot even see.  Falling down is hard.  And then we have a choice.  We either get up – even if it is slowly and filled with difficulty.  Or we lay there until someone comes and forces us up.  And even if we decide that we will get up – there is still an upward journey to go.  The good news is we are not alone.  Leo was my guide on this journey.  He was not going to leave my side.  He would make sure I had a reason to keep getting up and climbing.  

As crazy as this sounds, be grateful for the Leo in your life today.  There are those who love you and support you all along the way.  There are those who see you fall and are there to cheer you on as you arise, one more time.  Falling is hard, but we get up because there is so much more that awaits.  And – maybe you are a Leo for someone else.  Keep cheering, keep motivating, keep supporting.  Falling down is hard, but it is even harder without Leo.

Focus Scripture:

Proverbs 27:17-18

¹⁷ Iron sharpens iron,
    and one person sharpens the wits of another.
¹⁸ Anyone who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and anyone who takes care of a master will be honored.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

I am usually up for a challenge.  I like pushing myself beyond my perceived limits.  It drives me to do more.  It also reminds me that I have more capabilities than I give myself credit.  To be honest, I haven’t felt much like challenges lately.  Life has been busy – real busy.  I am super grateful for this, but it has changed things for me a bit.  I don’t have that same desire to find challenges.  My greatest challenge is getting as much done as possible in a day.  So the opportunity to do anything different isn’t normally appealing.  

There is something about spending the day with good friends, though.  It is life-giving to enjoy the outdoors with people you don’t often get to see.  In order to do this, I had to take on a challenge.  I had every reason not to do it.  On the flip side, there was one driving reason – people.  So three of us packed into a car and headed west for the day.  It was a day of fellowship, good food, and way too much time running and walking (of which I was sorely unprepared to do).  It was to be a race – but for some of us, it was a really great time to spend in fellowship with really great people.  For this, I could not be more grateful. 

Life continues to move forward, sometimes at rapid speeds.  If we don’t take the opportunities that are before us, we will miss valuable moments that give us life.  An abundant life does not mean more stuff.  An abundant life means more time spent enjoying God’s creation with people who mean way more than stuff ever will.  It means taking a day to enjoy friendships that began years ago and are meant to last a lifetime.  An abundant life is a life spent loving the things money can’t buy.  I’m grateful for a glimpse of abundance.  

What can you do to live the abundant life?  What does it look like to spend more time doing the things which are life-giving?  How might you take some time out of the hectic insanity of life to enjoy all that God has already provided?  May you be filled with life, real life today.  And may God’s abundance overwhelm you and cause you to exclaim “THANK YOU!”

Focus Scripture:

John 10:10

¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery