Women of Faith - Daily Gifts of Grace: Devotions for Each Day of Your Year

Daily Gifts of Grace

Daily Gifts of Grace

devotions for each day of your year

2012 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

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Scripture quotations are taken from The NEW KING JAMES VERSION (NKJV). 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Other Scripture quotations are taken from the following sources: The KING JAMES VERSION (KJV) of the Bible. The Message (MSG) by Eugene H. Peterson. 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved. New Century Version (NCV). 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com . The Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT). 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Some selections are from A Perfect Mess: Why You Dont Have to Worry About Being Good Enough for God by Lisa Harper, 2009 by Lisa Harper. Used by permission of WaterBrook Multnomah, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

Compiled by Sue Ann Jones

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Daily gifts of grace : devotions for each day of your year.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4002-0364-2 (alk. paper)
1. Devotional calendars.
BV4810.D2525 2012
242.2--dc23

2011024268

Printed in Singapore

12 13 14 15 16 TWP 6 5 4 3 2 1

Contents

Each day comes with its own challengesendless opportunities for worry, stress, guilt, regret, heartache. We could easily give in to despair just by checking the morning headlines, considering our overflowing to-do lists, or wondering how well fill the empty hours.

But sometimes with a change of perspective, a moment of reflection, those worries can become platforms for blessings and joys as they push us closer to the heart of our loving God and his plan for our future. That transformationfrom fear to confidence, from despair to hopeis a daily gift of grace, available to us constantly: new every morning, fresh every evening, present every moment of the day as we reconnect with the loving Savior whose sacrifice made the gift possible.

This collection of daily readings expresses 366 ways that daily gift of grace has played out in the lives of the women whose words are shared here: in a kind comment from a stranger, a sunbeam streaking through storm clouds, a childs innocent insight, a revelation birthed in a moment of heartache, a laugh-out-loud moment that transformed pain to pleasure.

These Women of Faith speakers and writers have touched thousands of hearts over the years with their powerful presentations in arenas around the country. But in these pages they share, with poignancy, experience, and humor, how Gods grace has touched them personally. We hope their stories and lessons will help you see that same gift in every moment of your day as well.

January 1
Not the How but the Who

For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

PHILIPPIANS 1:19

One morning recently I felt discouraged and bone weary. Many things in my life were going very well, but there were a few areas where I felt very hopeless.

As I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I heard God speak four words to me: I will deliver you!

I didnt hear an audible voice, but in my spirit Gods voice was unmistakable. I was startled by the clarity of the message.

I thought, How will God deliver me from this?

Looking back, I realize the how was ridiculous in light of the who.

All God was asking me to do was receive his promise and trust him. Nothing more.

He was offering much more than a quick fix or rescue; he was offering me a whole new way to live. But I wasnt sure if I was ready or even had the stamina for the journey that might lie ahead. Even so, the choices were painfully clear. I could continue to struggle all alone, pushing myself through one more day, or I could take God at his wordand let go.

Perhaps you, too, are experiencing a level of hopelessness. As you look at your circumstances, you despair of anything ever changing. Maybe youre wondering if God can deliver you even before your circumstances change.

He can deliver us into the grace and peace that are our birthright as his children so that we can be freetruly free.

Sheila Walsh

Dear Father, please anoint my ears so that I can hear. Anoint my eyes so that I can see. Anoint my heart and give me the will to follow you. In Jesus name, amen.

January 2
Jazzed About Valley Living

The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered with grain; they shout for joy, they also sing.

PSALM 65:13

On a cross-country flight recently, my plane flew over a range of snowy mountains. My eyes traced the trails up the rocky sides to see if any of them would take a car to the summit. None of them did. Isnt that just like life? Its never easy to get to the top.

When we do manage to get there, we seem to think we can shake off the valley dust of routine and hardships. And maybe even get closer to God.

But here is the breath-stopping truth: we are called to live most of our lives in the valley. And who volunteers to don a kilt and do the Highland Fling to that news?

That would be me. Yup, Im jazzed about valley living (well, most of the time). From the mountaintop I can see an eagle soar, but in the valley I can hear a sparrow sing. On the mountain I see trees like canopies, but in the valley I can sit in their shade and eat of their fruit. On the mountain I see lakes like small mirrors, but in the valley I can ladle the water to my parched lips. On the summit I see people like walking sticks, but in the valley I can trace a childs face and dab away tears.