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“Why am I anxious?”
For the Christian who has a full schedule, a long to-do list and an anxious heart.

5 helpful ways to confront anxiety biblically on a daily basis:

1. God’s Word:
Get into the Word. Reading the Bible changes us. It renews our minds and acts like a spiritual highlighter. Scripture helps us identify God’s voice in our current circumstances and shows us the lie vs. the truth.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
– Romans 12:2

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
– Hebrews 4:12

2. Prayer is powerful:
Pray the Word. Find scriptures that address the fears you are having. Memorize them and use them as a weapon against the lies of the enemy. Compare the negative thoughts you are having with what God says. Choose to believe what God says over everything.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
– Philippians 4:6-7

3. Community is vital:
Walk out the Word. Connect with community and like-minded believers who love Jesus and are committed to following Him. Let people in and tell trusted friends what you’re struggling with. Ask them to cover you in prayer, check in with you and encourage you.

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another…”
– Hebrews 10:24-25

4. Worship is a lifestyle:
What are you listening to? Who are you letting speak into your life? Worship isn’t just music or part of a church service; it’s a lifestyle and a heart posture. God isn’t after perfection; He’s after your heart. With His help, you will be able to weed out voices in your life that aren’t growing you. Removing worldly voices, music, tv and social media accounts and surrounding yourself with people that speak life into you and over you, inspire you, call you higher, add to your life and grow you spiritually will help you immensely.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
– 1 Corinthians 10:31

5. Gratitude & grace:
Focus on the good. Lean into grace and extend it to others. Be thankful. When you’re thankful, it’s really hard to be anxious or entitled. With thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
– 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Is anxiety something you struggle with? As a Christian, how do you deal with it?

– Carly Lynn // @car1ylynn

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Father’s Day looks different for everyone. We recognize that every family has a different story. While this can be a beautiful day for some, for others, it can be a difficult one, but God. As believers, we all have something in common today. Knowing God personally as your Heavenly Father changes things profoundly. It changes your heart and gives you a reason to celebrate today and be thankful.

So, here’s to our dads and our Heavenly Father. Here’s to every father, every father figure and all the godly men in our lives today. You are so important to us. May you be strong and courageous always. 🙏

“Be strong & courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9

DEAR DAD…
Personal & prayerful heartfelt pieces from our Elevated Faith Ambassadors on Father’s Day:

One of the things I look forward to on my birthday is to get a phone call from my dad. And then occasionally several more times throughout the year… Let me backup! The relationship I have with my earthly father can be described in one word: “interesting.” Every night I pray for God to heal my dad from addiction. My dad has been an alcoholic for as long as I can remember. I pray that my dad finds his way back to God. I pray that maybe someday, I may have the luxury of having a true and meaningful relationship with my dad. Regardless of how many times my dad has messed up, I’ve admired the fact that he always tries to get sober again and fix things.

Throughout the years I’ve been disappointed in his failed attempts and needless to say, my faith in God and His power growing up was a roller coaster. At one point, I confess I lost faith altogether not understanding why an all powerful God couldn’t fix my dad. Over the last few years, my thinking has shifted. I know my God is good! My earthly dad has taught me not to lose faith in my Heavenly Father, without even knowing it. Amongst the melancholy, I have a few good memories that I cherish. Including when I was ages 8-10, he would take me with him to parks and we would just walk the trails and talk about a whole lot of nothing. There’s bliss in that for me.

So, what does Father’s Day mean to me? I see this day as another day where I can thank my Heavenly Father for the life he’s given me, for my family, and friends. To thank my earthly father for unknowingly teaching me the true importance of faith and strengthening my dependence on it. And he may never see this blog post but nevertheless, if by a miracle he does, I love you papa!

– Aleksandra K. // @sashkachapurina

Father’s Day helps us to celebrate everything that our fathers, both earthly and heavenly, have done for us. I love and appreciate my dad very much, as he works tirelessly to give me a good life and sacrifices a lot. Over the last several years, people in my family and others around me have always said that I look and act just like my dad. I have some of the same characteristics he has, like his sense of humor and physical features. And overtime, I’ve learned to love those characteristics because of who gave them to me.

While we have our earthly fathers, we certainly cannot forget about our Heavenly Father. I gave my life to Him when I was 18 years old after practicing New Age, and He brought me out of a pit that I knew I wouldn’t have been able to get out of on my own. The last few years have been nothing short of miracles and answered prayers, all because of God. I have to thank Him for everything that He has given me and my family. Because of Him, my life is forever changed.

This community has been vital for me and is a gift from God. I’ve met some truly amazing people that have helped me grow stronger in my faith, and have overall become some of my best friends. I thank our Heavenly Father everyday for these girls, shoutout to my girls Hanna, Mel, Ziera, Juls, and Madison! Happy Fathers Day to all of the dads out there and to our Father in Heaven! 💙

– Olivia P. // @oliviapapandreou

I pray that my dad and all the father figures in my life know how much I love them and that even when I may get frustrated with them I will always look up to them. I hope and pray I become closer to my Heavenly Father this year and am going to try and spend more time with Him. Amen.

– Brenna R. // @brenna_lynn27

My dad has always led me in the right direction, just as Christ leads us. Father’s Day is such a special day because it gives us time to reflect our earthly fathers, but also the ultimate Father, God. I’m so thankful that God gave me my dad, Josiah, my dad makes me laugh so much, helps me with any questions I have about my faith, or just anything in general (same with my mom).

My dad plays lots of instruments, and is the music director on our church praise team, so he has always inspired me to play, and anytime I have a question about piano or anything music related, he knows exactly what to do. All praise and thanks goes to God, He knows exactly what we need, and He knew I needed my dad.

For those who don’t have a dad, I want to encourage you that God is truly the ultimate father anyone can have. He knows everything and anything, He is the best Father. He won’t walk out, He won’t leave, He loves you through everything and anything. He doesn’t give a spirit of fear, He makes our paths straight, He is for you not against you, and most importantly, He already sent the best gift you could get. He sent Jesus to die for YOU.

– Macy W. // @itsmacy.nichole

Father’s Day is a day to come together and celebrate our father figures. I love celebrating my dad, not only just on Father’s Day, but everyday because he really deserves it. As I look back at all my memories with my dad I am forever grateful for him, his love, his hard work, his jokes, his passion, his kindness and his love for Jesus! I’m so grateful that he puts God first, and then family. The biggest thing I have taken away from my dad and what he has taught me about God is that God hears our prayers!

A prayer for my dad:
Dad, I pray that you always trust God for everything, big and small. I know you are strong, but I pray God will give you rest. I pray that you will walk by Faith, not by sight. Amen. I love you and I always will pray for you!

– Makaila M. // @makailagraceee

My dad is the greatest man I know! I have always been closest to my father. I have so many precious memories of him. I remember tears in his eyes when I told him that I had heard and understood the calling of the Lord and I was ready to dedicate my life to Christ and be saved. My entire faith in Christ is because my dad raised me to know who God is and to lead me in the Lord. Since I was 9 or 10, he has been a pastor. My whole childhood was in Alabama. When he first began pastoring, God called him to a little church in the middle of nowhere in Alabama. He pastored there for 5 years until my dad and our family faced much difficulty and persecution. It was a very trying and difficult time for him.

Until God opened the door 4 years ago for my dad to pastor a church in Michigan! We moved, and my dad has been the pastor of this church for 4 years now! My dad absolutely loves what he does. The church family we have now is like family to us and they really are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

I am so honored to be the daughter of my dad. He is such a blessing to everyone around him. He is dedicated to God’s Word and being the hands and feet of Christ and I can confidently say that he is one of, if not the most, Godly man I have ever known. David was known for being a man after God’s own heart, and I consider my dad to be the exact same thing. Every morning he stops everything that he is doing to lead the family into the reading of Scripture and to pray with us. God calls the men to be the spiritual leaders of the family and home and my dad checks that box perfectly. I have seen him visiting people at the hospital at 3 in the morning. I have seen him pay for people to spend a week in a hotel just to have a roof over their head. He has brought others meals and Bibles and he has taken days off from preparing his sermon just to put up drywall and lay down floors for those who need help for their home. I have seen him at his worst times through spiritual warfare and he has never cracked because of his love for God!!

I am the most blessed to have God-fearing parents. My dad means the absolute world to me and the lessons and wisdom he has taught and given me is worth more than money. I look up to my dad so much and I am so blessed that he has brought me up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord that Ephesians 6:4 commands. I love my dad with all my heart, and I constantly pray for him and for the Lord to bless and guide him and bring him wisdom. Being in ministry is extremely hard and there are so many attacks to endure and preserve, but my dad is the strongest man I know. I honestly can’t imagine a day going by without having my father in it. I hope my future husband will lead me and set an example for me just like my dad has always done.

This Father’s Day, I am actually going to print this out and hand him this paper to show how thankful I am for him. I love my dad with everything in me and I am so blessed that God has given me such a Godly man to raise me and lead me. Happy Father’s Day Dad.

– Ella Grace M. // @ellagracemeaux

My name is Stella Wade. My earthly father passed away when I was 11. I used to be angry at God for that and didn’t understand it. But by God’s grace, as I grew older I became less angry with God and became much more at peace. I still don’t fully understand, and probably never will, but I know it was my dad’s time to go to his true home and be free from his pain and struggles.

I miss my dad terribly, but I will always remember what he taught me. My dad was supposedly scary looking to other people, but he showed me that it doesn’t matter what is on the outside, but what is on the inside. My dad, despite his intimidating looks, was incredibly kind, loving, compassionate, and funny. He could make anyone laugh and would go out of his way to help someone in need.

As for my Heavenly Father, he has also taught me to be kind to others, for I do not know their story or their struggles. I love both of my fathers very much, my earthly father and my Heavenly Faith, and will continue to live their teachings in remembrance of them.

– Stella W. // @wade.gains

God tells us that we don’t need to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself. Today I would love to send a prayer to all the hard working dads.

Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray that you look after all the father figures in everyone’s life and take away all the anxieties of the unknown. Most importantly, we all keep in mind that all of your works are wonderful and that we should stand firm in our faith and know that your plan is better than the one for ourselves and our families. I pray that you bring happiness and joy on this special day. Amen.

– Hayley R. // @hayley_robinson__

Happy Father’s Day 💙

TRUST.

It’s in our nature to want to be in control. To plan, execute and try our very best to protect ourselves from undesirable outcomes and circumstances. But that wouldn’t require much faith. And being the “god” of our own lives, in our own strength and sovereignty, pales drastically in comparison to when we fully allow God to be whom He says He is and trust that He will do all that He says He will do.

With God, there is an invitation on the table for all of us. An invitation into a unique, personal journey full of awe and wonder that can only be found in a life truly surrendered to Him. The beauty in this journey is dependent on trust and requires us to learn how to trust Him more with every step we take. God’s timing is designed to teach you to trust. And learning to trust God means learning to trust His timeline, character and plans more than our own.

For each and every one of us, our journey will take us through defeat, disappointment, doubt, and detours, but we will always discover God in every one of those places. Nothing will be wasted as He uses them to sharpen us, build our faith, mold our hearts and lead us into purpose and destiny.

God is calling you, and His invitation requires a response. What will be your answer? ✨

Here is what the Bible has to say about trust:

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Psalm 56:3-4 “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?”

Psalm 13:5 “But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.”

Isaiah 26:3-4 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.”

Psalm 37:5 “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.”

Psalm 112:7 “They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Psalm 9:10 “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”

2 Samuel 7:28 “Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant.”

Proverbs 28:26 “Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.”

Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Psalm 56:3 “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”

– Carly Lynn xo // @car1ylynn

Living in a world that is constantly changing and that looks less like Jesus every day can stir up anxieties, uncertainties and leave us with just crumbs of faith to hold on to. The worst part about anxiety is the crippling fear of the unknown. The anticipation and unfamiliarity of what to expect, whether it’s regarding the future or present moment, can truly derail your entire day. In other words, we can literally lose all of today when we stress about tomorrow. In those moments, or sometimes entire seasons, it can feel like an overwhelming task to do anything more than just get up and get through the day. But, friend, you are not alone.

So, how do we battle fear and uncertainty? Jesus. Giving Him the final authority over our restless hearts and deciding once and for all that He alone is the unwavering CONSTANT of our lives.

Let’s Dig Deeper. When I wake up in the morning, do I open up Instagram or my Bible app? Am I feeding on the world before I open up the Word of God? I have noticed my anxieties grow in proportion to the distance I am away from God. Now, God never promised that every day would be easy, but being consistently in the Word and praying to the Lord should always be our first response, rather than a last resort. One way I combat anxiety is by intentionally laying whatever it is that’s troubling me at the feet of Jesus and trading fear for faith.“Truly my soul finds rest in God.” – Psalm 62:1

Even Jesus felt human emotions. An example of this can be found in the book of Matthew: Jesus expresses His feelings of anguish and concern to Peter and the two sons of Zebedee (“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death…” – Matthew 26:38). Despite knowing the future, the Son of God still had a human reaction, but instead of anxiety, distress or discouragement, Jesus chose to give it all to His Heavenly Father. He laid His burdens down through prayer. This goes to show that we shouldn’t feel guilt or shame about the reality of having human emotions; it’s what we do with them. Choose to take those uncertainties and prayerfully give them to God.

All throughout the Bible, it’s referenced that Jesus needed solitude to decompress and pray. We should be like that too. Think of going to God like recharging a battery. Feel those emotions with a grateful heart. Remember, itʼs okay to need private moments with God. Quite honestly, it’s essential for your relationship with Him. Time with God will bring clarity, trust and will strengthen your faith. “After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. Later that night, he was there alone.” – Matthew 14:23

In a world with constant chaos and spiritual battles, find your rest in God and His unwavering love and faithfulness. His wisdom, steady assurance and unconditional grace. Ultimately, the answer is to battle it with Him and through Him, and it’s because of Him that we will be successful in overcoming it.

Verses for Battle:
*John 15:18
*Philippians 4:6-7
*1 Peter 5:7
*Matthew 6:34
*Matthew 7:7-8

Elevated Faith Ambassador,
– Melanie // @mellovesyhuxoxo

Mothers are truly one of life’s most precious blessings and gifts from God. Let’s pray for them. 🙏

Here are 10 prayers for every mom in your life:

1. BLESSING
Prayer: Lord, I pray a prayer of blessing over my mother. Shower her with Your love, multiply her blessings and please provide for her every need. I pray that my family and I will continue to love, honor and support her. Thank You for blessing me with a mom who has a heart like hers. Thank You for the lessons she has taught me and the sacrifices she has made. Please bless her in all of life’s endeavors and with the things her heart desires that only You know about. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Numbers 6:24-26
The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Ephesians 3:20
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.

2. PEACE
Prayer: Lord, I pray that You would give her Your peace, which surpasses all understanding, and guard her heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Remind her that grace is sufficient for her, and Your power is made perfect in her weakness. Help her to release all cares, worries and concerns to You, and may You guide her in everything she does from that precious place so that she may know without a doubt that You are near. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 3:16
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way.

3. PROTECTION
Prayer: Lord, I pray that You place a hedge of protection around her. Protect her spirit, body, mind and emotions from any kind of harm. I pray for protection in every form, and I ask that You surround her with Your arms of protection and that she is able to take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Psalm 91:1-2
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Psalm 34:7
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

4. PROVISION
Prayer: Lord, I pray that she would trust You in all aspects of her life, especially financially. May she be a Proverbs 31 woman of diligence, initiative and excellence, and let godly wisdom, not worry, lead with her finances. I pray that she would seek You every step of the way in her career or in being a steward of what You have given her to be a caretaker at home. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Philippians 4:19
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

5. JOY
Prayer: Lord, I pray that You would bless my mom with long-lasting, deeply fulfilling, supernatural joy. Help her to find her joy in You, and You alone, regardless of her circumstances. May she radiate with true joy that only comes from You and be a light that shines in every place she goes. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

6. PURPOSE
Prayer: Lord, I pray that each and every day that she gets to wake up this side of Heaven, she would see it as a gift. May all of her days be laced with purpose and passion. May she continue to be fulfilled and deeply satisfied with what she has while always seeking the most of all that You have for her. Help her to live each day well, and for Your glory, from start to finish. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

7. WISDOM
Prayer: Lord, I pray that she would trust Your Word that says if we lack wisdom, we can come to You and ask for it. You are such a faithful and generous Father, and Your abundant wisdom is what she needs when she doesn’t know where to turn. Help her trust You to guide and strengthen her with Your grace when she is overwhelmed. Place godly leaders in her life to help her when she is faced with difficult decisions. Equip her and help her trust You more as she learns to walk in Your perfect wisdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.

James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Proverbs 3:13-15
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

8. HEALTH
Prayer: Lord, I pray that You would help her recognize her body as a temple. You know every hair on her head, and You know exactly what she needs. Help her to never take the breath inside her lungs for granted. Help her establish and sustain healthy habits that honor You, and help her thrive mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. In Jesus’ name, amen.

3 John 1:2
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.

Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

9. RELATIONSHIPS
Her marriage, children, family, friends, coworkers and community.
Prayer: Lord, I pray that she would be blessed in all of her relationships, that You would strengthen them, protect them, guide them, bless them and that they would always be centered around You. Family and relationship are by Your design. Please help her, and her and me, in our relationship specifically, experience the fullness of the blessing found in it. In Jesus’ name, amen.

1 Peter 4:8
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

10. FAITH
A hunger for Jesus and relationship with Him.
Prayer: Lord, I pray that You would strengthen and build her faith. I pray that she would know You, love You, honor You and seek You first each and every day. May her faith be contagious, and may she continue to put all of her hope and trust in You. Help her to grow in her faith and increase her desire to spend time studying Your Word, in prayer and in biblical community. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

On this Mother’s Day, let us thank God for the beautiful gift of motherhood. Let us express our love, appreciation and respect for the mothers in our lives, recognizing their sacrificial love and the profound impact they have on our lives.

“Her children arise and call her blessed.”
Proverbs 31:28

Happy Mother’s Day ♥
– Carly Lynn // @car1ylynn

What is the most beautiful thing you can think of?
I doubt the first thing that comes to mind is something broken, shattered or cracked. However, I’ve learned something about broken things; they’re really beautiful in the right hands. His.

In a world obsessed with appearance, I think we all crave something deeper, something more. The kind of beauty Instagram can never capture. Beauty that touches the hem of His garment, the kind that transcends what we think we know, the kind that touches heaven.

Embracing being made in the image of God means recognizing our responsibility to care for all that God has entrusted us with. Taking care of our bodies, recognizing the gifts and talents He has given us and making it a priority to grow, strengthen and share them!

The sooner we stop trying to become a duplicate of someone else, we can embrace who God made us to be. The sooner we stop projecting the image of having everything together, the sooner God’s grace can truly work in us, and through us. The Bible says, “we have this treasure in jars of clay…” (2 Cor. 4:7) and that God is the one who fashions us, “we are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8).
This means that to God, you are truly a piece of art!

The Japanese art form, Kintsugi, is a specialized method of repairing broken pots and other ceramics with a special lacquer that’s mixed with precious metal (gold, silver or platinum). The beautiful metaphor here is that when finished, the repaired item is always considered to be more desirable than before it was ever broken. I think this is a lot like the process God takes us through too.

I have found that it is the struggle and tension here in finding
our identity and confidence in Christ that bring the most beauty and transformation.
It’s here, in our most broken places, that God meets us in unique, personal and supernatural ways.

How can you find the beauty in the breaking of your own story? What would it look like for you to fully embrace whom God made you to be and truly believe that you are His masterpiece?

This is the beautiful exchange of Isaiah 61:3. You bring your ashes, He gives you beauty. The kind we search our entire lives here for. The real kind. And this kind is only found in one place.

An encouraging story that I love:

There was once a group of women studying the book of Malachi in the Old Testament. As they were studying chapter three, they came across verse three, which says: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” This verse puzzled the women, and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.

Later that week, this woman made an appointment with a silversmith to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot, then she thought again about the verse, that he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered, “Yes” and went on to explain that he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be damaged. The woman then asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?” He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that’s easy. When I see my image in it.”

So, if today you are feeling the heat of the refining fire, just know that God has His eyes on you.

It may be Friday, but Sunday is coming.

Whatever it is, the dark, deadly, seemingly defeating circumstances the devil is taunting you with have nothing on God’s promises. Sunday is always coming: resurrection, restoration, restitution and real LIFE.

Rescue mission (noun): “A mission, operation to reach and rescue people in urgent need, as after a disaster.”

At the very heart of our faith is Jesus’ death and resurrection; it’s what everything hinges on.

This was not just a noble sacrifice, but a rescue mission, and the greatest one of all time. Jesus came to save us from the power of sin and death that held us captive, and He did so by laying down his life in exchange for ours.

The cross on Friday became a crown on Sunday, and the transaction paid our ransom. He came and paid our debt in full. He tore the veil that separated us from the Father and gave us the keys to the Kingdom. May we never forget the incomprehensible sacrifice that Jesus made for us, and may we always live in victory from this place for Him.

God’s love for us is limitless, unmatched, incomprehensible and something we could never earn. And through faith in Christ, we can overcome all obstacles and challenges that come our way. Easter is a powerful time to remember, reflect, honor and share this.

The greatest rescue mission of all time happened; the debt we owed was dealt with; the ransom was paid for both you and I, and because of this truth, everything changes forever, always.

He’s the lamp, the lifeboat, the ladder, the emergency exit and the answer to what we need in every situation.

The tomb is empty so you don’t have to be.
The veil was torn so nothing can separate you.
He defeated death so you can LIVE.
Jesus changes everything.

Happy Easter to you and your family 🙏💙
– Carly Lynn // @car1ylynn

Sunday Is Coming – Phil Wickham ✨

“He is not here; he has risen!” – Luke 24:6

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” – 1 Peter 1:3

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9

The fact that we are able to dream and create with the Creator Himself is such a mind-blowing privilege in itself. A privilege that requires faith, commitment, tenacity, grit, grace and surrendering our personal desires and ambitions to God in exchange for His. Allowing Him to lead us, mold us and create the character and capacity within us to live out the big God-sized dreams He has prepared for us.

The Bible tells us that God has a special, unique plan for each of our lives (Jeremiah 29:11). However, we often get caught up in the quicksand of our own everyday lives. Busy schedules, never-ending to-do lists, crippling comparison, and a never-good-enough mentality, coupled with our own wants, plans and desires, can easily derail us. And if we aren’t careful, eventually we can forget to seek God’s will for our lives, or even worse, forget to include God at all.

When we make the decision to be done with a half-hearted pursuit and take the time to really seek God’s heart and will, we discover that His dreams for us are far bigger and better than anything we could ever dream up on our own.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” – Ephesians 3:20

Dreaming with God involves spending time in prayer, reading His word and seeking His guidance for our lives. It means releasing the tight grip we have on our life, letting go of our own desires and trusting that God’s plan is a perfect and custom fit for us. When we align our dreams with God’s plan, we experience a peace and fulfillment that simply cannot be found anywhere else.

Dreaming with God gives us divine direction and purpose. It releases us from the constant cycle of comparison because we know that we don’t have to compete or compare. What God has for us, is for us. We can walk confidently in the steps He leads us to take and in the goals we set. We no longer feel lost or unsure about the future, instead we are full of hope, wonder, fresh inspiration and a light that shines and becomes contagious everywhere we go.

Here’s to dreaming big,
– Carly Lynn // @car1ylynn