The Daily Dose

Choose your hard

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. ~ Genesis 50:20

We are living in heavy times. Just this past week, our nation was shaken by tragedy and loss. When moments like these happen, it is easy to question why these kinds of devasting things happen and to wrestle with hurt, fear, or even anger. Yet the truth of God’s Word remains the same: what people intend for harm, God is still able to use for good.

Genesis 50 reveals this powerful truth through the life of Joseph. After years of betrayal, slavery, false accusations, and prison, Joseph stood before the very people who had wronged him. He could have chosen bitterness and revenge, but instead he chose forgiveness and trust in God’s purpose. Joseph had to choose his hard. Holding on to resentment and anger would have been hard because it would have left him without peace and in constant turmoil, leading him away from his true destination. Instead, he chose the hard path of faith and forgiveness. One road would have destroyed him, while the other brought healing and life. Joseph chose the hard that honored God, and because of it, he stepped into his destiny.

Here are some points to consider as you make your choices each day.

1. Every choice in life comes with challenges

The bottom line is that life is hard. It is not about choosing between easy and hard but choosing which hard you will live with. It is hard to carry bitterness, and it is hard to forgive. It is hard to live in fear, and sometimes it feels hard to trust God. The question is not whether life will be hard, but which hard will bring you closer to Him.
Joseph’s example: He could have lived in resentment toward his brothers, but instead he chose forgiveness and freedom.

2. God can turn the hard seasons to shape us if we let Him

The difficulties we face are never wasted. God uses challenges to strengthen us, deepen our character, and prepare us for what He has planned.
Joseph’s example: Prison and false accusations were not wasted years. They became the training ground that prepared him to lead a nation through famine.

3. Choosing God’s way leads to life and purpose

Not every path leads to life. Some choices may feel easier in the moment but produce hard and painful results later. When we choose God’s way of forgiveness, integrity, and trust, it may feel hard in the moment, but it always leads to blessing and purpose.  The truth is that when we surrender what we are feeling to the Lord and ask for His help to do the thing that honors Him most, we don’t have to do the hard thing by ourselves.  He shows up with His empowering grace to strengthen in the hard choices.
Joseph’s example: Because he chose the path of faith, he was in position to save his family and countless others. What others meant for evil, God used for good.

Today I want to encourage you to choose the hard that honors God. The way that seems easy or even popular leads to the hard road of regret and disappointment, but God’s way, though it seems difficult in the moment, leads to peace, freedom, and purpose. Joseph’s story shows us that even in times of betrayal, injustice, and tragedy, God is still working for good. Your obedience today is preparing you for something far greater than what you can see right now.

Today’s scripture reading: Genesis 50

1 Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him. 

2 Then Joseph told the physicians who served him to embalm his father’s body; so Jacob was embalmed. 

3 The embalming process took the usual forty days. And the Egyptians mourned his death for seventy days.

4 When the period of mourning was over, Joseph approached Pharaoh’s advisers and said, “Please do me this favor and speak to Pharaoh on my behalf. 

5 Tell him that my father made me swear an oath. He said to me, ‘Listen, I am about to die. Take my body back to the land of Canaan and bury me in the tomb I prepared for myself.’ So please allow me to go and bury my father. After his burial, I will return without delay.”

6 Pharaoh agreed to Joseph’s request. “Go and bury your father, as he made you promise,” he said. 

7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. He was accompanied by all of Pharaoh’s officials, all the senior members of Pharaoh’s household, and all the senior officers of Egypt. 

8 Joseph also took his entire household and his brothers and their households. But they left their little children and flocks and herds in the land of Goshen. 

9 A great number of chariots and charioteers accompanied Joseph.

10 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan River, they held a very great and solemn memorial service, with a seven-day period of mourning for Joseph’s father. 

11 The local residents, the Canaanites, watched them mourning at the threshing floor of Atad. Then they renamed that place (which is near the Jordan) Abel-mizraim, for they said, “This is a place of deep mourning for these Egyptians.”

12 So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them. 

13 They carried his body to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre. This is the cave that Abraham had bought as a permanent burial site from Ephron the Hittite.

14 After burying Jacob, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to his father’s burial. 

15 But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful. “Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said.

16 So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us 

17 to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. 

18 Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said.

19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 

20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 

21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.

The Death of Joseph

22 So Joseph and his brothers and their families continued to live in Egypt. Joseph lived to the age of 110. 

23 He lived to see three generations of descendants of his son Ephraim, and he lived to see the birth of the children of Manasseh’s son Makir, whom he claimed as his own.

24 “Soon I will die,” Joseph told his brothers, “but God will surely come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt. He will bring you back to the land he solemnly promised to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”

25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath, and he said, “When God comes to help you and lead you back, you must take my bones with you.” 

26 So Joseph died at the age of 110. The Egyptians embalmed him, and his body was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

Journal:

• Identify one area where you are tempted to take the “easy way” and instead choose God’s way, even if it feels harder.
• Speak forgiveness over someone who has hurt you, even if your emotions are not there yet.
• Write down one way you see God shaping you through a hard season right now.

Witness while you work

Because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. ~ Acts 18:3

I used to think that being in full-time ministry meant working at a church or serving on the mission field. My perception was that only pastors and missionaries were truly in ministry. Now I understand that all God’s people are in full-time ministry. Our mission field is wherever we are each day. It doesn’t matter if you work in a church, in an office, at a school, or at a construction site. Whether you are a student, a banker, or a laborer, you are still in ministry. Every believer is called to be God’s light and witness to those around them.

In today’s reading, Paul met Aquila and Priscilla, who were tentmakers just as he was. This is the first time in scripture that it is mentioned that  Paul worked a trade job. Up until this point, we have mostly read about his preaching and teaching. In Corinth, Paul took on a tentmaker role, submitted to an employer, and worked with his hands during the week. On the Sabbath, he went into the synagogue and preached, but during the workweek he built tents and shared about salvation. Everywhere Paul went, he carried the message of Jesus. He witnessed to others while he worked, day by day, and became a light in every city God sent him to.

That call has not changed for us today. We are in full-time ministry whether we are at work, at home, or even at play. Wherever we go, we are the light of the world. Every person we interact with should have the opportunity to experience the love of God through our words, actions, attitudes and kindness. If our message is not received, we can do just what Paul did and shake it off,  knowing we have been faithful to share, and trust God to grow the seeds planted in the hearts of those who heard.

In verses 9-10, Jesus appeared to Paul in a vision and gave him words that still encourage us today: “Don’t ever be afraid. Speak the words that I give you and don’t be intimidated, because I am with you. No one will be able to hurt you, for there are many whom I call my own.” Those words remind us that we don’t minister alone. God is always with us, and He has already prepared the hearts of people we will encounter.

Here is a list of what to do:

• Begin each day by asking the Holy Spirit to show you one person you can encourage.
• Use simple acts of kindness at work or school as opportunities to point people to God’s love.
• Share your testimony naturally in conversations, especially when someone talks about struggles.
• Pray silently for coworkers, classmates, or neighbors during your daily routine.
• Remember that you represent Christ everywhere you go, so let your words and actions be full of grace and truth.

Today I want to encourage you to witness while you work. Wherever you are, listen to the gentle nudges of the Spirit to speak words of life in kindness and love. Let those around you know there is hope in this dark world and that God desires to be close to them. Do not be afraid, because the Lord who spoke to Paul still speaks to us today. He promises to be with you, and He has already placed many people around you who belong to Him. You are in full-time ministry, and your light has the power to change lives.

Today’s scripture reading: Acts 18:1-17

1 After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. 

2 And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. 

3 So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers. 

4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.

5 When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. 

6 But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 

7 And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 

8 Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.

9 Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 

10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” 

11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

12 When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat, 

13 saying, “This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.”

14 And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes, O Jews, there would be reason why I should bear with you. 

15 But if it is a question of words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; for I do not want to be a judge of such matters.” 

16 And he drove them from the judgment seat. 

17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. But Gallio took no notice of these things.

 Journal:

• Who are three people I regularly see at work, school, or in my community who may need encouragement today?
• How can I use my gifts or talents in ordinary settings to point people to Jesus?
• What fears do I need to release in order to confidently witness while I work?

My heart’s desire

_{These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. ~ Acts 17:11}

I started writing the Daily Dose back in 2019. It is hard to believe that I have been doing it for over six years now. Initially, I began writing the Dose for myself. I was searching for a devotional that would encourage me in my walk with God and include a portion of scripture to study and meditate on, but I couldn’t find one that fit. So, I wrote my own. At first, I sent it out by email to a small group of people because I needed to be accountable to stay committed to my mission.

At the end of that first year, I had 365 devotionals compiled that became my first book.  By that time I had grown to love writing each day and didn’t want to stop. That is when the Daily Dose blog came into existence. The discipline of writing has changed my life and strengthened my spirit in ways I never imagined. This is why I am always encouraging others to keep a journal and to write down what God is showing them. Writing out your journey allows you to see how God’s Word comes alive in your everyday life.

If I had to sum up the desire of my heart today, it would be this verse in Acts 17:11. The reason I continue to write the Daily Dose each morning is so that you will receive God’s Word with eagerness and search the Scriptures daily to discover truth for yourself. My prayer is that you take time to hear God’s message in each passage and not simply rely on my words.

Receiving God’s Word with eagerness means setting aside time to spend with Him each day, but it also means connecting with a body of believers through a local church to attend weekend services and small groups. When you share with others the promises of God you have been reading and holding onto, you not only grow personally, you also encourage others in their walk. Daily time with your heavenly Father equips you with revelation and empowerment to face whatever the day brings.

Examining the Scriptures every day goes deeper than simply reading. It means slowing down and asking questions. Take your time with the Daily Dose or any devotional you read. Search out cross-references, look at the context of a passage, and most importantly, ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand and apply what you read. When you do this, your character will grow stronger and wiser, just as the church at Berea demonstrated.

Here are some ways you can begin:

• Set aside a consistent time each day to read God’s Word with eagerness and expectation.
• Connect with other believers through a local church or small group where you can share what you are learning.
• When reading scripture, take time to look up cross-references and understand the context.
• Keep a journal to write what God is teaching you and how you see Him at work in your life.
• Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart and mind to understand and apply God’s truth.

Today I want to encourage you to eagerly receive God’s Word every day and search the Scriptures for yourself. This isn’t just about listening to my words or anyone else’s. It is about God speaking directly to you. His Word has the power to strengthen you, transform your thinking, and give you answers in the middle of life’s challenges. When you keep His Word as your focus instead of life’s distractions, you will be equipped to stand strong and to help rescue others who are struggling. My heart’s desire is that your life will be changed, just as mine has been, by the promises of God’s Word and His unending love for you.

Today’s scripture reading: Acts 17:10-15

10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 

11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. 

12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men. 

13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds. 

14 Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away, to go to the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there. 

15 So those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed, they departed.

 Journal:

• What does eagerly receiving God’s Word look like in your life right now?
• How can you make searching the Scriptures a daily habit?
• Write down one truth from God’s Word that has recently encouraged you and how you can share it with someone else this week.

The power to bless with your words

Then Jacob called together all his sons and said, “Gather around me, and I will tell you what will happen to each of you in the days to come. ~ Genesis 49:1

Here we are almost at the enc of Genesis where we see Jacob gathering his sons to speak blessings and his last words over their future. Some of his words were words of correction, others were words of encouragement and prophecy, but all of them were spoken with purpose. Jacob knew that his time on earth was short, so he used his final moments to say something that would carry on in the generations to come. His words were not random, they were filled with weight and intentionality because he understood the power of blessing.

I think about this in my own life when I remember the words spoken over me by people I love and respect. Some of those words were encouragements that lifted me in difficult times. Others were challenges that helped me grow and make better choices. Most importantly was God’s Word planted in my heart. I also think of the opportunity God has given me now to speak into the lives of others. What I say in these moments matter because words leave an imprint that can last far beyond the moments they are spoken. Just like Jacob’s words carried forward into the tribes of Israel, the words I speak are carried into the lives of others and will hopefully out live me.

This applies to your life too. You may not think of yourself as someone with influence, but your words carry weight whether spoken to your family, your friends, your coworkers, or even to someone you only meet once. Every time you speak, you have the opportunity to either bring life or bring discouragement. You have the choice to point people toward God’s promises or leave them uncertain about His care. Jacob’s example shows us the importance of choosing wisely how we use our words, especially when they have the power to shape someone’s future.

Here are some ways you can get started today:

• Begin by praying each day, “Lord, let the words I speak today bring life and hope.”
• Write down a blessing or encouragement and share it with someone close to you.
• Notice when negative or critical words want to come out and pause, asking the Holy Spirit for wisdom before you speak.
• Take time to encourage the younger generation in your family, church, or workplace by calling out the gifts you see in them.
• Keep a journal of the encouraging words others have spoken into your life and revisit them when you need strength.

Today I want to encourage you to use your words to bless others just as Jacob blessed his sons. You may never fully realize how far your words will go, but God can use even a simple sentence of encouragement to shift someone’s direction to walk closer with Him. The power of life and death is in your tongue, so choose to speak life. Your words can become part of the legacy you leave for generations to come.

Today’s scripture reading: Genesis 49

1 Then Jacob called together all his sons and said, “Gather around me, and I will tell you what will happen to each of you in the days to come.

2 “Come and listen, you sons of Jacob; listen to Israel, your father.

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, the child of my vigorous youth. You are first in rank and first in power.

4 But you are as unruly as a flood, and you will be first no longer. For you went to bed with my wife; you defiled my marriage couch.

5 “Simeon and Levi are two of a kind; their weapons are instruments of violence.

6 May I never join in their meetings; may I never be a party to their plans. For in their anger they murdered men, and they crippled oxen just for sport.

7 A curse on their anger, for it is fierce; a curse on their wrath, for it is cruel. I will scatter them among the descendants of Jacob; I will disperse them throughout Israel.

8 “Judah, your brothers will praise you. You will grasp your enemies by the neck. All your relatives will bow before you.

9 Judah, my son, is a young lion that has finished eating its prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?

10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor.

11 He ties his foal to a grapevine, the colt of his donkey to a choice vine. He washes his clothes in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.

12 His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk.

13 “Zebulun will settle by the seashore and will be a harbor for ships; his borders will extend to Sidon.

14 “Issachar is a sturdy donkey, resting between two saddle packs.

15 When he sees how good the countryside is and how pleasant the land, he will bend his shoulder to the load and submit himself to hard labor.

16 “Dan will govern his people, like any other tribe in Israel.

17 Dan will be a snake beside the road, a poisonous viper along the path that bites the horse’s hooves so its rider is thrown off.

18 I trust in you for salvation, O Lord!

19 “Gad will be attacked by marauding bands, but he will attack them when they retreat.

20 “Asher will dine on rich foods and produce food fit for kings.

21 “Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.

22 “Joseph is the foal of a wild donkey, the foal of a wild donkey at a spring—one of the wild donkeys on the ridge.

23 Archers attacked him savagely; they shot at him and harassed him.

24 But his bow remained taut, and his arms were strengthened by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, by the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.

25 May the God of your father help you; may the Almighty bless you with the blessings of the heavens above, and blessings of the watery depths below, and blessings of the breasts and womb.

26 May my fatherly blessings on you surpass the blessings of my ancestors, reaching to the heights of the eternal hills. May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph, who is a prince among his brothers.

27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, devouring his enemies in the morning and dividing his plunder in the evening.”

28 These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said as he told his sons good-bye. He blessed each one with an appropriate message.

29 Then Jacob instructed them, “Soon I will die and join my ancestors. Bury me with my father and grandfather in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. 

30 This is the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a permanent burial site. 

31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried. There Isaac and his wife, Rebekah, are buried. And there I buried Leah. 

32 It is the plot of land and the cave that my grandfather Abraham bought from the Hittites.”

33 When Jacob had finished this charge to his sons, he drew his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and joined his ancestors in death.

Journal:

• Write down one blessing or encouragement you would like to speak over someone this week.
•  How can you be intentional about using your words to build up and leave a godly legacy?

The Blessing of God’s hand

But his father refused. “I know, my son; I know,” he replied. “Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a multitude of nations.” ~ Genesis 48:19

Today I am writing about God’s blessings do not always follow the order we expect. When Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons, he crossed his hands and gave the greater blessing to the younger son, Ephraim. Joseph tried to correct his father, but Jacob made it clear that he knew exactly what he was doing because God had shown him the greater plan. It shows me that God’s ways are higher than mine, and His blessings sometimes come in unexpected ways and through unexpected people, even at unexpected times.

I have experienced this in my own life when I thought certain doors were the ones I was supposed to walk through, only to have God shut them and open something completely different. Not long ago, we thought He was leading us to join a group traveling to Israel. Just two weeks before the trip, war broke out in that region and the tour was canceled. At first, I felt disappointed and even confused, wondering why things didn’t go as I had planned. I thought we must have missed God’s direction, but in the following weeks, as we worked through the details of the payment we had made, another opportunity opened up that we would have never had if we had not first committed to the Israel trip. We soon realized that God’s hand was guiding us to a completely different excursion that turned out to be even greater than the first. What I thought was a setback was actually His way of redirecting us to something greater that He had promised years before, though I did not understand it at the time.

This truth still applies to all of us today. Maybe you are looking at your life and thinking things did not turn out the way you expected. Maybe you did not get the opportunity you wanted, or someone else was chosen instead of you. Joseph’s life is a reminder that God sees the bigger picture, and His hand of blessing is not bound by human order or expectation. When God chooses to bless, He blesses in ways that far exceed what we imagine.

Here are some things you can do to expect the unexpected blessings God has for you:

• Surrender your expectations to God in prayer and invite Him to guide your steps.
• Celebrate the blessings God gives others, trusting that His timing for you is perfect.
• Look for how God has redirected your life before and thank Him for the outcome.
• Stay faithful in the place you are now, knowing that God’s favor is not limited by position or circumstance.
• Keep an open heart to the unexpected ways God may choose to bless and work through you.

Today I want to encourage you to trust that God knows exactly what He is doing in your life. Even when His hand crosses what you thought was the natural order of things, His blessing is still at work. What may look confusing in the moment will later be revealed as part of His greater plan. Stay steady, keep your eyes on Him, and trust that His hand is guiding you into a future that carries His blessing.

Today’s scripture reading: Genesis 48

1 One day not long after this, word came to Joseph, “Your father is failing rapidly.” So Joseph went to visit his father, and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

2 When Joseph arrived, Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to see you.” So Jacob gathered his strength and sat up in his bed.

3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. 

4 He said to me, ‘I will make you fruitful, and I will multiply your descendants. I will make you a multitude of nations. And I will give this land of Canaan to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’

5 “Now I am claiming as my own sons these two boys of yours, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born here in the land of Egypt before I arrived. They will be my sons, just as Reuben and Simeon are. 

6 But any children born to you in the future will be your own, and they will inherit land within the territories of their brothers Ephraim and Manasseh.

7 “Long ago, as I was returning from Paddan-aram, Rachel died in the land of Canaan. We were still on the way, some distance from Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). So with great sorrow I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath.”

8 Then Jacob looked over at the two boys. “Are these your sons?” he asked.

9 “Yes,” Joseph told him, “these are the sons God has given me here in Egypt.”

and Jacob said, “Bring them closer to me, so I can bless them.”

10 Jacob was half blind because of his age and could hardly see. So Joseph brought the boys close to him, and Jacob kissed and embraced them. 

11 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “I never thought I would see your face again, but now God has let me see your children, too!”

12 Joseph moved the boys, who were at their grandfather’s knees, and he bowed with his face to the ground. 

13 Then he positioned the boys in front of Jacob. With his right hand he directed Ephraim toward Jacob’s left hand, and with his left hand he put Manasseh at Jacob’s right hand. 

14 But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys’ heads. He put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, though he was the younger boy, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, though he was the firstborn. 

15 Then he blessed Joseph and said, “May the God before whom my grandfather Abraham and my father, Isaac, walked—the God who has been my shepherd all my life, to this very day,

16 the Angel who has redeemed me from all harm—may he bless these boys. May they preserve my name and the names of Abraham and Isaac. and may their descendants multiply greatly throughout the earth.”

17 But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head. So Joseph lifted it to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 

18 “No, my father,” he said. “This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”

19 But his father refused. “I know, my son; I know,” he replied. “Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a multitude of nations.”

20 So Jacob blessed the boys that day with this blessing: “The people of Israel will use your names when they give a blessing. They will say, ‘May God make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh.’” In this way, Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

21 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will take you back to Canaan, the land of your ancestors. 

22 And beyond what I have given your brothers, I am giving you an extra portion of the land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”

Journal:

• What expectations do I need to surrender to God today?
• Where have I seen God redirect my life in the past for something better?
• How can I look for His hand of blessing in what I am currently walking through?

Provision in the middle of famine

“So Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household with bread, according to the number in their families.” ~ Genesis 47:12

Genesis 47 is a powerful picture of God’s provision. The famine was severe, and people all across the land were struggling to survive. Yet in the middle of the famine, Joseph’s family had what they needed because God had positioned Joseph in advance to provide for them. What looked like years of pain and setbacks in Joseph’s life turned out to be the very preparation God used to save his family and many others.

There were many times in my life when I faced financial strain. Bills felt heavy, and the resources we had didn’t seem like enough. I prayed and asked God for wisdom, and He began to show me ways He had already positioned provision in my life.  Then gradually as I began lining my life up with His ways, design and plan, His abundance showed up in opportunities, creative solutions, and people God placed around me. Just like Joseph’s family, I realized that even in times that felt like famine, God was already ahead of me and making a way.

Maybe you are facing a situation today where it feels like your resources are running out. It could be financial, emotional, or even physical strength. Joseph’s life reminds us that God is not limited by famine or anything in this world. He can provide bread in barren seasons, hope in discouraging times, and peace in the middle of uncertainty.

Here are some ways to get started today:

• Begin each day by thanking God for the ways He has already provided for you, no matter how small. Your personal relationship with Him is the key to stepping into all He has for your life.
• Ask God for wisdom in how to steward the resources you have right now.  This may require giving some things up for right now. (i.e. going out to eat, going on trips or entertainment streaming and etc.)
• Be willing to receive help from others that God may send into your life as part of His provision.
• Look for opportunities to share what you do have with someone else in need, even during lean times. Planting seeds of love and compassion will always produce good fruit for the future.
• Keep trusting that God sees your need before you even ask and is already working on your behalf. Press in close to Him and ask Him to make His presence evident each day.

Today I want to encourage you to trust God as your ultimate provider. Just as Joseph’s family was sustained in a season of famine, you can be confident that God has already gone before you to prepare what you need. Your situation may feel uncertain, but His provision is certain. Keep trusting Him, keep looking for His hand at work, and you will find that He has been faithful every step of the way.

Today’s scripture reading: Genesis 47

1 Then Joseph went to see Pharaoh and told him, “My father and my brothers have arrived from the land of Canaan. They have come with all their flocks and herds and possessions, and they are now in the region of Goshen.”

2 Joseph took five of his brothers with him and presented them to Pharaoh. 

3 And Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?”

They replied, “We, your servants, are shepherds, just like our ancestors. 

4 We have come to live here in Egypt for a while, for there is no pasture for our flocks in Canaan. The famine is very severe there. So please, we request permission to live in the region of Goshen.”

5 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now that your father and brothers have joined you here, 

6 choose any place in the entire land of Egypt for them to live. Give them the best land of Egypt. Let them live in the region of Goshen. And if any of them have special skills, put them in charge of my livestock, too.”

7 Then Joseph brought in his father, Jacob, and presented him to Pharaoh. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

8 “How old are you?” Pharaoh asked him.

9 Jacob replied, “I have traveled this earth for 130 hard years. But my life has been short compared to the lives of my ancestors.” 

10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh again before leaving his court.

11 So Joseph assigned the best land of Egypt—the region of Rameses—to his father and his brothers, and he settled them there, just as Pharaoh had commanded. 

12 And Joseph provided food for his father and his brothers in amounts appropriate to the number of their dependents, including the smallest children.

13 Meanwhile, the famine became so severe that all the food was used up, and people were starving throughout the lands of Egypt and Canaan. 

14 By selling grain to the people, Joseph eventually collected all the money in Egypt and Canaan, and he put the money in Pharaoh’s treasury. 

15 When the people of Egypt and Canaan ran out of money, all the Egyptians came to Joseph. “Our money is gone!” they cried. “But please give us food, or we will die before your very eyes!”

16 Joseph replied, “Since your money is gone, bring me your livestock. I will give you food in exchange for your livestock.” 

17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph in exchange for food. In exchange for their horses, flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and donkeys, Joseph provided them with food for another year.

18 But that year ended, and the next year they came again and said, “We cannot hide the truth from you, my lord. Our money is gone, and all our livestock and cattle are yours. We have nothing left to give but our bodies and our land. 

19 Why should we die before your very eyes? Buy us and our land in exchange for food; we offer our land and ourselves as slaves for Pharaoh. Just give us grain so we may live and not die, and so the land does not become empty and desolate.”

20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. All the Egyptians sold him their fields because the famine was so severe, and soon all the land belonged to Pharaoh. 

21 As for the people, he made them all slaves, from one end of Egypt to the other. 

22 The only land he did not buy was the land belonging to the priests. They received an allotment of food directly from Pharaoh, so they didn’t need to sell their land.

23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Look, today I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh. I will provide you with seed so you can plant the fields. 

24 Then when you harvest it, one-fifth of your crop will belong to Pharaoh. You may keep the remaining four-fifths as seed for your fields and as food for you, your households, and your little ones.”

25 “You have saved our lives!” they exclaimed. “May it please you, my lord, to let us be Pharaoh’s servants.” 

26 Joseph then issued a decree still in effect in the land of Egypt, that Pharaoh should receive one-fifth of all the crops grown on his land. Only the land belonging to the priests was not given to Pharaoh.

27 Meanwhile, the people of Israel settled in the region of Goshen in Egypt. There they acquired property, and they were fruitful, and their population grew rapidly. 

28 Jacob lived for seventeen years after his arrival in Egypt, so he lived 147 years in all.

29 As the time of his death drew near, Jacob called for his son Joseph and said to him, “Please do me this favor. Put your hand under my thigh and swear that you will treat me with unfailing love by honoring this last request: Do not bury me in Egypt. 

30 When I die, please take my body out of Egypt and bury me with my ancestors.”

So Joseph promised, “I will do as you ask.”

31 “Swear that you will do it,” Jacob insisted. So Joseph gave his oath, and Jacob bowed humbly at the head of his bed.

Journal:

• What area of my life feels like famine right now, and how can I invite God’s provision into it?
• How has God provided for me in unexpected ways in the past?
• What step of trust can I take this week to acknowledge Him as my provider?

God goes with you

_{“I am God, the God of your father,” the voice said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make your family into a great nation. I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again. You will die in Egypt, but Joseph will be with you to close your eyes.” ~ Genesis 46:3-4}

There have been many times in my life when God called me to step into something new and unfamiliar. For Jacob, leaving Canaan and going down to Egypt was a huge step. It meant leaving the land of promise, facing the unknown, and trusting God’s word that He would still fulfill His covenant. What made the difference for Jacob was God’s assurance: “I will go down with you.”

I remember a time not so long ago when God was clearly calling me into something new, but I was apprehensive. It felt safer to stay where I was, even though I knew God was directing me forward. I worried about what I might lose, how I might fail, or what people might think. Yet in the middle of all my concerns, God reminded me that He wasn’t sending me somewhere alone. He was going with me. Looking back now, I can see that some of my greatest growth and deepest blessings came out of those steps of obedience.

Maybe you are standing in a place right now where God is asking you to step out. It might be a new job, a new ministry, a change in your family, or even a deeper level of faith. Like Jacob, you might feel uncertain, but God is the same today as He was then. He promises to go with you, to bless you, and to bring good out of the journey, even if it feels unfamiliar.

Here are some ways to walk this out in your life:

• Spend quiet time in prayer asking God to show you where He is leading you right now.
• Write down any fears or doubts that come up, then surrender them to God one by one.
• Look for one step of obedience you can take this week, even if it feels small.
• Share with a trusted friend or mentor what God is placing on your heart so they can pray with you.
• Remind yourself daily of God’s promise, “I will go with you,” especially when you feel hesitant or afraid.

Today I want to encourage you to take the step God is asking of you with confidence, knowing that He goes with you into every place He calls you. Just as He promised Jacob, He will not leave you alone, and He will fulfill His word in your life. What feels uncertain today may become the very place where you see His faithfulness most clearly tomorrow.

Today’s scripture reading: Genesis 46

1 So Jacob set out for Egypt with all his possessions. And when he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac. 

2 During the night God spoke to him in a vision. “Jacob! Jacob!” he called.

“Here I am,” Jacob replied.

3 “I am God, the God of your father,” the voice said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make your family into a great nation. 

4 I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again. You will die in Egypt, but Joseph will be with you to close your eyes.”

5 So Jacob left Beersheba, and his sons took him to Egypt. They carried him and their little ones and their wives in the wagons Pharaoh had provided for them. 

6 They also took all their livestock and all the personal belongings they had acquired in the land of Canaan. So Jacob and his entire family went to Egypt— 

7 sons and grandsons, daughters and granddaughters—all his descendants.

8 These are the names of the descendants of Israel—the sons of Jacob—who went to Egypt:

Reuben was Jacob’s oldest son. 

9 The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

10 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul. (Shaul’s mother was a Canaanite woman.)

11 The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

12 The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (though Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

13 The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.

14 The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

15 These were the sons of Leah and Jacob who were born in Paddan-aram, in addition to their daughter, Dinah. The number of Jacob’s descendants (male and female) through Leah was thirty-three.

16 The sons of Gad were Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.

17 The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. Their sister was Serah. Beriah’s sons were Heber and Malkiel.

18 These were the sons of Zilpah, the servant given to Leah by her father, Laban. The number of Jacob’s descendants through Zilpah was sixteen.

19 The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.

20 Joseph’s sons, born in the land of Egypt, were Manasseh and Ephraim. Their mother was Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On.

21 Benjamin’s sons were Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.

22 These were the sons of Rachel and Jacob. The number of Jacob’s descendants through Rachel was fourteen.

23 The son of Dan was Hushim.

24 The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

25 These were the sons of Bilhah, the servant given to Rachel by her father, Laban. The number of Jacob’s descendants through Bilhah was seven.

26 The total number of Jacob’s direct descendants who went with him to Egypt, not counting his sons’ wives, was sixty-six. 

27 In addition, Joseph had two sons who were born in Egypt. So altogether, there were seventy members of Jacob’s family in the land of Egypt.

Jacob’s Family Arrives in Goshen

28 As they neared their destination, Jacob sent Judah ahead to meet Joseph and get directions to the region of Goshen. And when they finally arrived there, 

29 Joseph prepared his chariot and traveled to Goshen to meet his father, Jacob. When Joseph arrived, he embraced his father and wept, holding him for a long time. 

30 Finally, Jacob said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen your face again and know you are still alive.”

31 And Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s entire family, “I will go to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘My brothers and my father’s entire family have come to me from the land of Canaan. 

32 These men are shepherds, and they raise livestock. They have brought with them their flocks and herds and everything they own.’”

33 Then he said, “When Pharaoh calls for you and asks you about your occupation, 

34 you must tell him, ‘We, your servants, have raised livestock all our lives, as our ancestors have always done.’ When you tell him this, he will let you live here in the region of Goshen, for the Egyptians despise shepherds.”

Journal:

• What step of obedience do I feel God calling me to take right now?
• What fears am I holding onto that I need to surrender to Him?
• How have I seen God’s faithfulness when I trusted Him in the past?

God’s hand in your life

‘But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. ‘ ~ Genesis 45:5

Joseph’s life is one of the most powerful demonstrations of God’s purpose and grace. After years of hardship, betrayal, and waiting, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers in Egypt and explained that everything he went through was part of God’s plan to save lives. Instead of bitterness, Joseph responded with compassion and forgiveness, recognizing God’s hand in every detail, even in the painful parts.

I see this same truth when I look back over my own life. For years I carried regrets, feeling like I had wasted so much time and made so many wrong decisions. While I know it wasn’t God’s plan for me to make those mistakes, I also know He was with me every step of the way. He picked me up, carried me through hardships and even though many of them were self-inflicted, He has now turned those experiences into my purpose for helping others. What once looked like wasted years has proven to be preparation, as God has worked through the struggles to open opportunities I never imagined.  The very pain that I wanted to avoid was preparing me for opportunities I never imagined. Like Joseph, I realized that God was not only working all things together for my good but also for the good of many others through my story.

This is true in your life right now. You may be going through difficulty, waiting on God, or dealing with a situation that does not make sense. What you cannot see yet is how God is weaving it all together for a greater purpose. Just as Joseph’s pain prepared him for leadership and positioned him to save lives, your trials may be setting the stage for blessings and breakthroughs that will touch others as well.

Here are some ways to walk this truth out in your life:

• Choose forgiveness toward those who have wronged you and release bitterness to God
• Look for evidence of God’s hand in your situation, even if the outcome is not yet clear
• Pray daily for God to use your circumstances to bless others
• Keep trusting God in the waiting season, remembering that He is faithful to fulfill His promises
• Share your story with others to encourage them that God works all things together for good

Take a few quiet moments this week to pray over the hard areas of your life. Write them down and ask God to help you see them through His perspective. Begin thanking Him in advance for how He will use those very things for a greater purpose. Start with one small step of forgiveness or faith, trusting that He is guiding your story.

Today I want to encourage you to see beyond the pain and disappointment of your current circumstances and believe that God is working for a greater purpose. Just as He raised Joseph up to preserve life, He is preparing you to bring hope, healing, and blessing to others. Trust that every part of your journey is in His hands and that He will bring it together in ways you could never imagine.

Today’s scripture reading: Genesis 45

1 Joseph could stand it no longer. There were many people in the room, and he said to his attendants, “Out, all of you!” So he was alone with his brothers when he told them who he was. 

2 Then he broke down and wept. He wept so loudly the Egyptians could hear him, and word of it quickly carried to Pharaoh’s palace.

3 “I am Joseph!” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?” But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. 

4 “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. 

5 But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 

6 This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 

7 God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. 

8 So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.

9 “Now hurry back to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me master over all the land of Egypt. So come down to me immediately! 

10 You can live in the region of Goshen, where you can be near me with all your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own. 

11 I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you, your household, and all your animals will starve.’”

12 Then Joseph added, “Look! You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that I really am Joseph! 

13 Go tell my father of my honored position here in Egypt. Describe for him everything you have seen, and then bring my father here quickly.” 

14 Weeping with joy, he embraced Benjamin, and Benjamin did the same. 

15 Then Joseph kissed each of his brothers and wept over them, and after that they began talking freely with him.

16 The news soon reached Pharaoh’s palace: “Joseph’s brothers have arrived!” Pharaoh and his officials were all delighted to hear this.

17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘This is what you must do: Load your pack animals, and hurry back to the land of Canaan. 

18 Then get your father and all of your families, and return here to me. I will give you the very best land in Egypt, and you will eat from the best that the land produces.’”

19 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt to carry your little children and your wives, and bring your father here. 

20 Don’t worry about your personal belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

21 So the sons of Jacob did as they were told. Joseph provided them with wagons, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he gave them supplies for the journey. 

22 And he gave each of them new clothes—but to Benjamin he gave five changes of clothes and 300 pieces of silver. 

23 He also sent his father ten male donkeys loaded with the finest products of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other supplies he would need on his journey.

24 So Joseph sent his brothers off, and as they left, he called after them, “Don’t quarrel about all this along the way!” 

25 And they left Egypt and returned to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan.

26 “Joseph is still alive!” they told him. “And he is governor of all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned at the news—he couldn’t believe it. 

27 But when they repeated to Jacob everything Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to carry him, their father’s spirits revived.

28 Then Jacob exclaimed, “It must be true! My son Joseph is alive! I must go and see him before I die.”

Journal:

• Where in my life do I need to trust that God is working for a greater purpose even when I cannot see it?
• Who do I need to forgive so that I can walk in freedom and allow God to use my story for His glory?

Before it is too late

But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.  ~ Acts 17:6

In the world we live in today, it feels like the culture is upside down. Right is often treated as wrong, good is called bad, and many celebrate things that God calls evil. We are living in the fierce times the apostle Paul described in his letters to the churches. When we look at all the trauma and confusion on the earth, it can be easy to lose hope and believe there is little we can do to make a positive impact.

In today’s reading, Paul and his team faced this same reality. At first, it looked like they were gaining ground in Thessalonica, but things changed quickly. A mob formed against them, and when the people could not find Paul, they dragged Jason and other believers before the city rulers. The charge brought against Paul’s team was remarkable: “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.” The people recognized that Paul’s message of salvation through Christ Jesus challenged the world’s beliefs and authority structures. He proclaimed the Kingship of Jesus over every earthly ruler.

It is sobering that God’s people were falsely accused and persecuted, yet it is also encouraging that their impact was so evident that the outside world could not ignore it. Could the same be said of us today? Could we live in such a way that the truth of God’s love and power turns the world around us “upside down”? I believe the answer is yes. At least for now, in America, persecution is still minimal compared to what Paul and the early believers endured. If we use our voices today, if we live boldly for the Lord Jesus in our little corner of the world, we can help shift people’s focus from fear to faith in the God who saves, before it is too late.

You can start taking steps toward impacting the world around you, today. Show those in your sphere of influence the love of God by being the hands and feet of Jesus. Just as Paul and Silas faced resistance, you may also meet opposition. But their example reminds us that when we stand firm in truth and share the message of hope, lives will be transformed. The gospel still has the power to turn hearts, homes, and communities “upside down” for God’s glory. Begin now, while the cost is small, and you will be ready to stand strong when greater challenges come.

Here are some ways to apply this truth you your life:

• Share the message of Jesus with one person this week, even in a simple conversation
• Look for a practical need you can meet in someone’s life to demonstrate God’s love
• Speak words of faith and hope in environments where fear and negativity dominate
• Invite a friend, coworker, or neighbor to church or a Bible study
• Pray daily for courage to stand firm in your faith, even when it feels uncomfortable

Today I want to encourage you that the same Spirit who empowered Paul to boldly preach the gospel lives in you. You can make a difference right where you are, and your obedience can create a ripple effect that reaches farther than you can imagine. Start today, before it is too late, and let God use your life to turn the world upside down for His kingdom.

Today’s scripture reading: Acts 17:1-9

1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 

2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 

3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” 

4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.

5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. 

6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. 

7 Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.” 

8 And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. 

9 So when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

 Journal:

• What part of my world feels “upside down,” and how can I bring God’s truth into it?
• Who in my life needs to hear or see the love of Jesus through me this week?
• What small act of courage can I take today to live boldly for Christ?

Follow up

So, they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.  ~ Acts 16:40

Have you ever had a friend or even someone from your past suddenly come to your thoughts? Maybe it was someone you had not talked to in a while, or perhaps it was a person who always seemed like they had it all together and never really seemed to need encouragement. This happens to me often. For many years, I didn’t know what to do with those thoughts when they came, but then the Holy Spirit showed me that He was putting them on my heart so I would pray for them.

As I began to pray for the people who randomly came into my memory, I would feel inspired to reach out and encourage them. Sometimes I thought, “They are doing fine and don’t care what I have to say.” Other times I wondered, “I haven’t spoken to this person in years, won’t it be strange to message them now?” Despite my reservations, I became determined to encourage whoever came to mind. I recognized that the Holy Spirit placed them on my heart for a reason. I cannot remember a single time when I reached out and the person didn’t respond with something like, “This is exactly what I needed right now.” Even if that hadn’t happened, I would still continue to follow the Spirit’s leading. After reaching out, I often followed up a few days later just to check in again and remind them that they were still on my heart.

In today’s reading, Paul and Silas were released from prison after being wrongly accused. But instead of leaving town bitter about their mistreatment in Philippi, they circled back to Lydia’s house to encourage the believers there. They didn’t go for their own comfort, but to strengthen the church and remind them to keep up the good fight of faith.

Can you imagine going through a terrible ordeal that was not your fault, and then turning around to encourage someone else who wasn’t even going through anything so difficult? Paul wanted the church to know that God had turned everything for good, and that they should not be afraid to continue the work of the gospel in their region. His encouragement strengthened their faith in God’s ability to do the impossible.

So go ahead and check in on those around you, whether they are walking through good times or hard times. Send a message of encouragement and let them know you are praying for them. Share what God has done for you and remind them that miracles still happen. You may not see prison doors swing open in the natural, but you will certainly see chains fall in the spirit when you walk in faith and speak life into others. God will never let you down when you put your trust in Him.

Here are some ways you can begin to put this into practice in your life:

• When someone comes to mind unexpectedly, pause and pray for them right away
• Reach out with a simple message of encouragement, even if it feels weird or uncomfortable
• Share a verse of Scripture or a testimony of what God has done in your life
• Follow up after a few days to let them know you are still thinking of them and praying for them
• Make encouragement a habit by scheduling a weekly reminder to reach out to someone God places on your heart

Today I want to encourage you to see every thought of another person as a possible nudge from the Holy Spirit. Your obedience to pray and to reach out may be the very thing that lifts their heart and reminds them that God is with them. Just as Paul strengthened the church after walking through trials, you can strengthen those around you by speaking encouragement and sharing God’s faithfulness.

Today’s scripture reading: Acts 16:35-40

35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.”

36 So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart and go in peace.”

37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.”

38 And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. 

39 Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out and asked them to depart from the city. 

40 So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.

 Journal:

• Who came to mind recently that I should reach out to and encourage?
• What specific Scripture or truth could I share with them this week?
• How can I make encouragement a consistent practice in my walk with God?