It might’ve been the best day of your life today, or it might’ve been one of the worst. Either way, eventually, all days end. And no matter how hard we try to keep going, every day we need to collapse into our bed and hit the reset button.

While sometimes slowing, stopping, and sleeping can feel like a necessary evil, we believe that it’s really kind of God to create us with limits, and to encourage us to embrace them. Right when we’re at the end of all we can do, we start to step into the space where God takes things out of our hands and works with them for good. So let’s reclaim our sleep together, and invite God into the night, where he allows us to return to rest.

𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞:
“The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
The Lord protects the unwary;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you”
(Psalm 116: 5-7).

𝐀 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲
God who reigns over day and night, walk with me into these dark and quiet moments of evening. Thank you for the gift of life you have given me today. Protect me from the temptations of the night, and allow my body and soul the deep rest they need. Help me to trust that, even when my heart is asleep to your nearness, you are still watching over me. I’m laying down my own strength and trusting you, Sustainer of Life, that in the morning, my soul will awaken again in your good presence.

#prayer #dailyprayer #dailydevotional #verseoftheday #christianliving #reclaimtoday

Contributed by @lightvessel.co

ABIDE 🍊

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing"
(John 15:4-5).

#artistfeature #christiancreative #christianliving #encouragement #reclaimtoday #verse #bibleverse #verseoftheday #bible

Artwork by @annie.adsit

Need a reason to party? 🥳 Look at the Bible. God’s given us spirits of joy and celebration, so here are some Biblical ways to celebrate!

Check out the full piece on the web (link in bio)

🪩WITH A PARTY- John 2:1-11
It’s no accident Jesus’s first miracle took place at a party. Jesus’s miraculous works on Earth help to point to what the kingdom of Heaven is like— and throughout the Bible, we see God loves a good party. Scripture’s full of feasts where God tells his people to enjoy his blessings. So gather people to share good laughs and good food. Celebrate summer! Go all out on the Olympics. Host a mystery soirée— God gave us gifts of creativity, joy, and relationships. We can honor him by creating moments of fun, beauty, & belonging.

🎙️WITH SONG- Exodus 15:1-2
Often in the Bible, people are so overwhelmed by God’s goodness and mercy, they burst into song. Perhaps you’ve experienced something similar. If you don’t wanna make up a song (but it’d be cool if you did), next time you’re overcome with gratitude, turn on a worship song and sing loudly. Maybe invite friends over for a praise night. However you sing, it’s pleasing to God (even if your pitch is a bit rough).

🙏WITH PRAYER- Psalm 145:1-2
Talk to God about your celebration! Thank him for your blessings, and let him know what you’re looking forward to. On your birthday, tell him your hopes for the next year. When enjoying a summer evening, let him know how you wanna grow closer to him. Big or small, God wants to share in your delight. Tell your friends about your celebration too, so they can include the praise during their prayer time, instead of only requests.

💝WITH GENEROSITY- Genesis 12:1-2
In Scripture, God tells his people to use their “wealth” to bless others. So, while he loves to bless us, he wants us to become a blessing to the world. And we aren’t just talking about money. We can celebrate God’s gifts by being generous with time, skills, or even attention. Pick up a tab at the coffee shop. Make dinner for friends. Help a neighbor with yard work. Send a card to your Grandma. Even small acts of kindness & generosity can serve as celebrations honoring God’s blessings.

Contributed by @verywildflower

acts 1 & 2.

the upper room is a place of intimacy.

a place of fellowship.

a place of devotion.

it was a place for the disciples to come together in one accord to seek the Lord.

it was a place in which the Holy Spirit came down and filled the disciples.

we are called to seek the Lord in the secret place (Matt 6:6).

so let us live our days in the upper room. let us encounter the Lord in the upper room.

#artistfeature #christiancreative #christianliving #encouragement #reclaimtoday #verse #bibleverse #verseoftheday #bible

It’s the perfect day. There’s a slight breeze and no clouds in sight. You have a cooler full of sandwiches, iced tea, and snacks to your left and laughing friends and family (or your favorite book) to your right. Your only concern is how you’re gonna get all this sand out of your car…until that one painful memory comes up, and it stings all over again.

Let’s be real– sometimes life sucks, and unfortunately, hurtful memories can resurface even on the sunniest days. And while we’re all carrying different burdens that feel much heavier than a beach bag, cooler, and umbrella, we can all agree that being on the beach, feeling the warm sun on your skin, and listening to the waves pursue the shore is enough to make us feel like everything is going to be alright (even if it’s just for a little while).❤️

Take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy this beach day, remembering that even the wind and waves obey him.

Tag your beach buddy in the comments below (or a good book recommendation)! 🤪🏖️

𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
“Jesus responded, ‘Why are you afraid? You of so little faith!’ Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. The disciples were amazed. ‘Who is this man?’ they asked. ‘Even the winds and waves obey him!’” (Matthew 8:26-27).

𝐀 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡
God of sunny days and wind and waves, thank you for days like today when we get to sit on the beach and be reminded of your goodness. When the waves rise, and we feel overwhelmed, remind us that even the wind and waves obey you. Thank you for pursuing us like the waves pursue the shore. As we sit on the beach, feeling the warmth of the sun sink into our skin, may we feel the warmth of your love, too. Amen.

#prayer #dailyprayer #dailydevotional #verseoftheday #christianliving #reclaimtoday

You don’t have to be fearless to be courageous.

All throughout the Bible, God steps into fearful situations, telling his people not to be afraid. Doesn’t God understand and have compassion for our fear? Of course, he does!

Because God understands our fear, he mercifully steps into life’s difficult circumstances to remind us of his presence. And he compels us to move forward in faith, even in the midst of our fear.

King David, speaking to his son, Solomon, who has just been tasked with constructing God’s Temple, reminds Solomon of these principles, and charges Solomon to “do the work.”

Sometimes, having courage can feel like work. But God is glorified when we trust in him and move forward in faith!

𝟏 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝟐𝟖:𝟐𝟎
“20 David also said to Solomon his son, ‘Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.’”

𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐭
People in the Bible needed to be reminded to be strong and courageous, too
Sometimes doing the work is necessary, despite our fear
When we’re afraid, we can remember God is with us

𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞
God With Us, thank you for the gift of your presence in the midst of fearful and overwhelming circumstances, especially ________.

Holy Spirit, thank you for your comfort, and for empowering me to move forward when I am afraid.

𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬
Strong tower, in the midst of my fear, please give me courage and strength to “do the work.”

God of Joshua and Solomon, I’m worried about _______. Empower me to move forward in faith.

𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬
Lord God, my God, I am ready to step into what you have for me.

I trust that your presence will be my courage and strength as I walk in faith through ________.

#scripture #dailydevotional #bibleverse #verseoftheday #christianliving #reclaimtoday