If you need some music to get you up and dancing this Monday morning, check out this fun song by Hillsong. My girls and I have been dancing to this song for the last two weeks!
This is a devotional book that I have read over and over again through the years. In fact, I have owned this book for over a decade and am reading it again today!
Amy Carmichael was a missionary to South India from America. She left for India in 1895 and remained there without a break until she entered Heaven in January 1951.
Her life had a profound influence on Elisabeth Elliot, who wrote a beautiful biography about her life (which I also recommend!) called A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael
This daily devotional springs from Amy’s personal walk with God and her daily time spent in the Scriptures.
An example of one of her daily readings:
May 23rd
Psalm 105:41 “He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.”
Have any of us any dry places? They may be out of sight of even loving eyes. We may be ashamed when we have so much to fill our lives with song and praise, and yet there are dry places of longings, weariness, disappointment, difficulty of any sort, failure.
Oh, blessed be the love of God; “the waters…ran in the dry places like a river.” There is no need to go on in dryness. “For The Lord shall comfort Zion: He will comfort all her waste places; and He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of The Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.” (Isaiah 51:3).
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The best daily devotionals that I have read do not replace time spent in the Word, but rather whet my appetite for more of God’s Word. Edges of His Ways does just that and I highly recommend it to fellow travelers who may be weary or need a bit of encouragement along the way.
3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before An Important Conversation
by
We all know what it’s like at some point in our lives to prepare for an important or difficult conversation. Maybe your palms are sweaty and your heart is pounding. Maybe you’ve rehearsed what you will say again and again to make sure you have “just the right words.” Maybe you’ve even prayed about it.
The Three Sieves
In my all-time favorite devotional book, Edges of His Ways
Is it True? Is it Kind? Is it Necessary?
Is it True? ~ Are the words we speak to others based on truth? Do they point back to God’s Word or a principle contained therein? Is there a standard of truth higher than our own opinion that we are drawing from?
Is it Kind? ~ This is often the hardest filter. It is easy to speak true words without kindness. “I’m just calling it like it is – just being honest,” we may say. But have we taken the time to consider how we may infuse our words and deeds with kindness and love?
Is it Necessary? ~ If we do not speak up, what will the consequences be? And if something must be said, are we the right person to say it? How much must be said to ensure that the needed words are clearly communicated? Often only one thing must be said, but we may continue on in our words just to “prove our point.”
Letting Love Pave the Way
As Amy Carmichael says, “Love will never let us hurt another unless we must, and then it will hurt us far more. We will not do it easily.” We all need people in our lives who can lovingly confront us or speak truth that may prove difficult for us to hear. The intended purpose of these conversations are to point us to our Savior that we may turn from our ways if needed and grow in godly character.
The Golden Ruler
It would benefit us greatly in all our relationships to remember the Golden Rule and allow it to govern our relationships: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” How would you wish those closest to you to speak to you? How would you hope those you trust the most to speak truth into your life and call you higher in your walk with Christ?
I know what I respond best to: those who have demonstrated their love and commitment to me again and again – those who have loved me unconditionally and without reservation, those who, although they may do it imperfectly, seek to speak kindly and are careful with their words.
3 Sieves for Everyday Life
I can’t help but think that these three sieves aren’t just for the “hard conversations” but for everyday life as well. How much it could benefit us and those we interact with daily (such as our family members, colleagues, neighbors, and friends) if we ran our words through these filters:
Is it True? Is is Kind? Is it Necessary?
How can one or all of these questions help you with a conversation you may have today?
