分类: Amanda

Lessons in Transition

9/25/2026

Times of transition can be much harder than we ever anticipate. I know that I like my routines and schedules to stay the same as much as possible. Maybe you are different from me, but knowing what is coming on the calendar and watching it all play out is rewarding to me.

It’s the times when I must completely erase the plans and start over that are tough for me. Times when the Lord reveals changes He has planned that don’t quite fit into MY plan cause me to struggle. One such time for me recently has included a move from the ministry the Lord gave me in England for close to nine years to a brand-new culture, language, and ministry in Italy. Now I know what you’re thinking… I’d like to move to Italy! There is a fun, adventurous side to these things, but when this is not a vacation to visit all the new places, eat all the good food, and enjoy the relaxation, it can be a tough everyday grind.

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4 Attitudes to Maintain Your Joy

7/24/2026

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Discover how to maintain lasting joy through a powerful study of Philippians. This Christian blog post explores four key attitudes--single mind, submissive mind, spiritual mind, and secure mind--to overcome worry, circumstances, and distractions. Learn how to renew your mind, focus on Christ, and experience God’s peace, power, and provision. Perfect for Bible study, spiritual growth, and Christian encouragement for believers seeking joy in every season.

Identifying the 4 Attitudes of Joy
in Philippians

Last month, we looked at some thieves of our joy in 4 Ways to Take Back Your Joy. Do you remember them? Have you encountered them this month? They could manifest in circumstances, people, things, or worry. Or maybe you found another one that isn’t stated in this list. The important takeaway from the first part of our study is to identify the things that steal our joy and seek God’s help to combat those thieves with His Word and renewing our minds. I believe that Paul lays out for us four attitudes, one from each chapter of Philippians, that can help you maintain your joy.[1] Let’s take a quick survey of these chapters as they relate to our attitudes and thinking!

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4 Ways to Take Back Your Joy

6/26/2026

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Discover how to take back your joy through this Philippians Bible study. Learn to identify the four joy thieves--circumstances, people, things, and worry--and apply biblical truth for lasting joy in Christ. This Christian devotional encourages right thinking, faith over feelings, and spiritual growth. Be equipped to guard your heart, overcome anxiety, and experience true joy rooted in God’s Word, no matter your circumstances.

Identifying the 4 Joy Thieves
in Philippians

Have you ever woken up on a bright, sunny morning when you should feel great, but you just don’t? I know there are many factors in the lives of women that make life hard and often not enjoyable. I find that often my joy is affected by so many outside influences and can vary based on the moment. A text dings on my phone, and suddenly, my whole attitude shifts. Maybe your child reacts to something you said, and now you are in a bad mood. Maybe your husband makes a careless comment about your appearance or your cooking, and now your whole day is ruined. How do we combat these types of emotional shifts and influences on our joy each day?

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The Test Before the Miracle

5/22/2026

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Proving Questions From John 6 explores how Jesus tested Philip’s faith before the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:5-7). This Christian devotional examines biblical testing, spiritual growth, and trusting God’s provision in impossible situations. Discover how God uses trials to strengthen faith, refine believers, and reveal His power. Includes insights on Abraham’s test, James 1 trials, and growing in faith through life’s challenges.

A Lesson from John 6

Have you ever asked a question you already know the answer to, just so the person you are asking has to respond and prove what they know?

If you’re a mom or a teacher, I am positive you have done this! Some of you sweet mammas answer a million questions every day with all the love in the world for those little ones.

I remember, as a teacher, often asking a particular student a question to test his understanding of a concept. I knew the answer and didn’t really need him to answer me per se, but what I needed was to prove his knowledge of that content.

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Seeing the One in the Crowd

2/20/2026

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Seeing the One in the Crowd is a Christ-centered blog post exploring compassion in Matthew 8-9 and Jesus’ call in Matthew 9:36-38. Discover how Christ modeled personal ministry, touching lepers, healing the sick, and seeing individuals within the multitudes. This Gospel-focused devotional challenges believers to practice Christian compassion, pray for laborers, and engage in intentional, one-on-one evangelism with Christlike love in everyday life.

Learning to See People With Compassion Like Jesus

I am a missionary and spend time in the States in missions’ conferences and hear lots of good preaching about our need to go to the lost and share Christ with them. It is my life’s passion to point people to Christ. But it is easier to speak about that in generalities in relation to the masses of people. I have stood on a street corner in cities like London, Rome, and Bangkok and watched the masses of people move from place to place. I don’t know these people, but I know that, more than likely, the vast majority of them need to hear the truth of the Gospel. How do we make the need to share the Gospel with the masses personal? I believe one answer is found in Matthew 8-9.

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5 Principles to Follow as You Look to God’s Plan

1/23/2026

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Discover 5 biblical principles to follow as you seek God’s plan instead of your own. This encouraging Christian blog post explores trusting God when plans change, surrendering control, overcoming worry, and growing in faith through life transitions. Rooted in Scripture like Proverbs 16:9 and Proverbs 3:5-6, it offers hope and guidance for navigating unexpected change, ministry shifts, family crises, and seasons of uncertainty with confidence in God’s will.

I don’t know what your tradition is at the start of a new year, but I often spend some time looking back at the year that has passed and considering what God has done while I anticipate the year ahead and what God will do. This year was no different in that regard, but it was unique in the circumstances for me.

Last year, I was able to spend Christmas and New Year’s with missionary friends in Italy. As I left Italy early in January 2025, I asked the Lord what He had planned for me in 2025. I had plans for the ministry in England, and for enlarging my influence with other ministries the Lord had opened for me as well. I never expected to be sitting here one year later, making plans to leave my ministry in England, which I love with all my heart, to move to another foreign country and start all over again.

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The Four “Fear Nots” of the Christmas Story

12/19/2025

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#Discover the four “Fear Nots” of the #Christmas story and how #God speaks #peace into #fear. From #Zechariah, #Mary, #Joseph and the #shepherds, #Scripture reveals how God addresses the #unforeseen, #unbelievable, #unexpected, and #unusual. This Christmas #devotional #explores Luke 1-2 and #Matthew 1, #encouraging #Chriatian #believers to #trust God’s #sovereignty, embrace obedience, and #worship #JesusChrist with renewed #faith during the Christmas season. #FaithJourney #WomenInTheWord #Bible

I am not one to read a book repeatedly, even if it was really good, because the fact that I know how it is going to end ruins the suspense of turning the page. Maybe you enjoy the familiarity of an excellent story and return to it and collect new pieces of information with each reading.

Of course, God’s Word is so different from the stacks of books on my shelves in my home. It is the story that recounts His story and how His story intersects and changes my story and yours! It is the one book that I never tire of reading because it is God’s Word! Even with the fathomless truth of God’s Word, there are times when my heart and mind wander, and I struggle to see those truths. Of course, that is no fault of God’s Word, but instead of my own heart, which can quickly be remedied by drawing nigh to God and asking His Holy Spirit to speak to my heart from His Word.

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