Read: Psalm 34:1–10 I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4 Fear sneaks into my heart without permission. It paints a picture of helplessness and hopelessness. It steals my peace and my concentration. What am I fearful about? I’m concerned about...

Read: Mark 6:7–13, 30–32 [Jesus] said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31 The alarm clock goes off. Too early, it seems. But you have a long day ahead. You have work to do, appointments to keep, people to care...

Read: Jonah 4 The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” Jonah 4:4 It became painfully clear the first time my wife and I collaborated on a writing project that procrastination was going to be a major obstacle. Her role was to edit my work and keep...

Read: Psalm 27:1–8 The Lord is my light and my salvation. Psalm 27:1 Some young children have trouble falling asleep at night. While there may be many reasons for this, my daughter explained one of them as I turned to leave her bedroom one evening. “I’m afraid of the dark,”...

Read: Psalm 25:1–15 Let no one who waits on You be ashamed. Psalm 25:3 nkjv The military command, “Mark Time, March” means to march in place without moving forward. It is an active pause in forward motion while remaining mentally prepared and expectantly waiting the next command. In everyday language,...

Read: Psalm 20 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7 I like watching birds, an activity I developed while growing up in a forest village in Ghana where there were many different species of birds. In...

Read: Acts 20:22–35 It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35 In 1891, Biddy Mason was laid to rest in an unmarked grave in Los Angeles. That wasn’t unusual for a woman born into slavery, but it was remarkable for someone as accomplished as Biddy. After winning...

Read: Luke 1:67–79 Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us. Luke 1:78 nlt It’s only a keychain. Five little blocks held together by a shoelace. My daughter gave it to me years ago when she was seven. Today the lace is...

Read: Matthew 10:35–42 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:39 In the midday heat of summer, while traveling in the American South, my wife and I stopped for ice cream. On the wall behind the counter we...

Read: Isaiah 61:1–4 He has sent me . . . to bestow on [those who grieve] a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning. Isaiah 61:1, 3 “We’re cutting your job.” A decade ago those words sent me reeling when the company I worked...

Read: Matthew 14:22–36 He went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Matthew 14:23 During a concert, singer-songwriter David Wilcox responded to a question from the audience about how he composes songs. He said there are three aspects to his process: a quiet room, an empty page, and the...

Read: Exodus 13:17–22 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. Exodus 13:17 Life’s path is often difficult. So if we expect that God will always give us an easy road, we may be tempted to...